Despite the decision reached by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee (NEC) to proceed with its programmes for its national convention without its National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, the party is now hoping that the former Senate President David Mark-led committee charged with encouraging him to discontinue his court case can convince him and other litigants to do so.
The NEC mandated the committee to reach out to Secondus as well as opponents wanting to oust him by dragging him before the courts.
The party is of the opinion that the court orders and counter orders received over the party boss must end in the interest of the main opposition party.
The Tribune Online learnt that the party has resolved not to deliberate on the issue of the suspended National Chairman because it prides itself as a political institution that gives priority to the rule of law.
It was gathered that reason Secondus’ issue was not tabled at Friday’s NEC of the party though was expected to discuss his fate was to give room for the judiciary to address the issue.
Recall that the NEC resolved to abide by the latest court order in its possession, which ordered the party boss not to attend the meeting.
Secondus had rushed back to the national secretariat last Thursday hoping to preside over the scheduled party stakeholders meeting but was stopped as the party leaders maintained that they had not been served with the Kebbi State High Court order restoring him to office.
It was also learnt that Friday NEC focused solely on the national convention and the formation of various committees of the party.
“The issues at the meeting were not about Secondus. It wasn’t as if the NEC was divided into ‘Secondus must go and Secondus must stay. No.
“The issue at the meeting was the national convention and it was a straightforward matter. What we did was to look at the draft timetable, how the programmes have been compressed,” a top party source affirmed.
A member of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) revealed to the Tribune Online , on Sunda,y that Secondus fate cannot be determined until all the court cases are disposed off.
However, the party is now hoping that it can leave the confines of the court to put Secondus’ case to rest.
A top party source told the Nigerian Tribune: “We need to go out of the courts. The party has presented itself as a believer in due process. And so, it is not going to abuse any court order or court procedure.
“So, when the orders are done with, that’s when you talk about what happens to Secondus.”
The National Chairman had maintained as of Friday that he only stayed away from the NEC in obedience to a court order, insisting that he would remain in office until December 10, 2021, when the NWC tenure is due to expire.
The acting National Chairman of the party, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, presided over the last few meetings in his absence.
While a member of the leadership conceded that “his fate is dependent on the court,” the source maintained the orders and counter orders have been unhelpful to the party’s cause.
The source was confident that the David Mark committee can get all litigants to withdraw their cases in court to allow the party’s internal organs to address the contentious issues.
“The David Mark committee is to settle all these court order issues. The committee is working to find a way to get them to take all matters away from the courts because of their negative consequences on the party. They are yet to resolve that aspect,” the party source informed.
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