Secondus’ Fate Sealed As PDP’s NWC Endorses Akinwonmi As Acting Chair

The fate of embattled national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus appeared to have been sealed as the National Working Committee, NWC, Thursday adopted Elder Yemi Akinwonmi as acting national chairman of the party

The development followed hours of meeting by the working committee and the Board of Trustees, BoT, of the party at the Wadata Plaza, national secretariat of the PDP.

This brings to an end the struggle for the soul of the party by the two national vice chairmen, who on Wednesday, both laid claim to the vacant seat occasioned by Rivers State High Court barring Prince Uche Secondus from parading himself as national chairman of the PDP.

It would be recalled that deputy national vice chairman (South), Yemi Akinwonmi and deputy national vice chairman (North) Sulaiman Nazif, at separate outings, each laid claim to the leadership of the party, in acting capacity.

At the expanded meeting of the NWC and BoT yesterday, the party leaders unanimously agreed to support Akinwonmi to take over the management of party affairs in line with the provision of Section 45 (2) of the PDP constitution.

Vanguard gathered that at the meeting, Nazif embraced Akinwonmi and pledged his readiness to support him in piloting the affairs of the party until the national convention holds before the end of the year

Briefing newsmen at the party’s secretariat, national publicity secretary of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan said:

“I can clearly say on behalf of our party that we have navigated the turbulence that we find ourselves in and today, like you all witnessed when you came in, there there are no factions in the Peoples Democratic Party. The motion was moved and Elder Yemi Akinwonmi was unanimously approved as the acting chairman of our great party.

“It is interesting for Nigerians to know that this is in line with the provisions of our constitution.

“Tomorrow (today), we are going to have a caucus meeting, and the National Executive Committee, NEC will also meet tomorrow (Friday) in preparation for the National Executive Committee meeting, which will hold on Saturday.”

On how Akinwonmi was adopted, the publicity scribe said, “It was a unanimous decision. There are no sides in the party. We can have arguments and like I said, we can even have turbulence, but what is important is how we are able to cruise through the turbulence and safe land on arrival.”

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Speaking at a separate BoT meeting, acting national chairman, Yemi Akinwonmi tasked members of the PDP to keep the faith, adding that the leadership tussle has been laid to rest.

Addressing BoT, he said, “PDP is not dead, contrary to what people are saying in the media particularly the social media. I am happy today, that when they see us in television, hugging ourselves, laughing and yelling , they will know that PDP is alive.

“PDP is coming stronger than before. That there is a little scuffle in PDP is not my making or that of my colleagues. It is a situation that called for it but we have responded to it quickly. We have closed ranks. We have brought our house to order.

“My brothers and sisters, we have to come together as PDP members. My leaders know me as a man of peace, I have nothing to hide. I will not stay a day longer than you have asked me to.

“The NWC have accepted and adopted the end of October as end of our tenure and
we will soon set the machinery of the convention in motion.

“We will soon set the ball rolling for us to have our convention and have new set of officers to come and pilot the affairs of our party.

“I am tired and I am going back to my farm. I am a farmer in Ogun State. I am anxious to go back to my farm. So I have no business in Abuja. It’s only that I am a child of circumstance. I have come at this time to salvage the party.”

On those questioning his state of health, the acting chair said he is gradually recuperating, saying, “some people said I am incapacitated; I am not in capacitated. I have challenges and I have no money. If I have money, I will be in Dubai now and come back stronger to Nigeria.

“Since the inception of PDP, I have remained in the party. I have not left PDP and I will not leave for any other party,” he added even as he urged party leaders to take advantage of the yearnings of Nigerians for good governance to put the put the party in order.

Why I left Nigeria- Atiku

Advancing reasons for his absence from the country in recent times, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who attended the BoT meeting, the first time in two years, said he went back to school at Cambridge.

Addressing party leaders, Atiku lauded the BoT for providing leadership at a time of crisis.

“I want to commend the BoT. Since we lost power, this BoT has become the most active organ in providing leadership to our great party. Hitherto, since the inception of the party, because we had always had a President who overshadowed the BoT. Now that we are in opposition, we can now see the importance of the BoT. I congratulate all members of the BoT for providing leadership to our party.

“Many people have wondered where I have been since September last year and it became a matter of rumour mongering and all what not. I want to say that I was away because I went back to school and I have finished my lectures in May and read Masters in International Relations from Cambridge University. I want to use this opportunity to thank our former President, Obasanjo who actually recommended me for that course to that university.

“I sympathize with our people over the loss of innocent Nigerians in either Bauchi or Plateau axis and also the loss of our officers at the Nigerian Defense Academy.

“I believe PDP will live to the expectations of Nigerians because they know us more than any other party as we provided the best governance since the return of democracy to this country. I believe Nigerians are not going to forget those good old days.

“Yesterday, our opponents were rejoicing that there is a crisis in PDP. Today, I don’t know what they will be doing. They will be crying because PDP has resolved it’s own crisis.

“I commend everyone for playing a role to ensure the amicable resolution of our internal crisis. Crises are normal- you have crisis at home, in your department, your village and everywhere. It is normal. But what makes you different is the ability to resolve that crisis and we have proved to Nigerians that we have that ability to resolve our internal crisis. The crises facing the country- banditry, kidnapping, name it, we have the capacity to resolve them all. I want to let you know that I won’t be travelling to Dubai again. I will always be around with you,” Atiku pledged.

The meeting was attended by the Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike; Ahmed Makarfi, Babangida Aliyu, Sule Lamido, Ibrahim Shema, and Liyel Imoke, former governors of Kaduna, Niger, Jigawa, Katsina and Cross River state respectively.

Others included former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi, ex- Aviation Minister, Mrs. Kema Chikwe, ertwhile Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Tanimu Turaki, amongst others.

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