Plot to sack Secondus thickens in PDP

Tribune Online
Plot to sack Secondus thickens in PDP

A major crisis is now rocking the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over sundry issues as some key stakeholders in the party are demanding for the immediate overhaul of its Prince Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee (NEC).

A reliable source informed Saturday Tribune of the existence of sharp divisions in both the National Working Committee (NWC) and the Board of Trustees (BOT) over the running of the party’s affairs.

The source disclosed that the party’s national chairman, Prince Secondus, escaped a vote of no confidence earlier planned for him by aggrieved members of the BOT at their Thursday meeting held in Abuja.

According to Saturday Tribune’s findings, the perceived sins of Secondus include the continued suspension of some elected members of the party in the House Representatives over the composition of the House minority leadership, alleged imposition of candidates in the last general elections and the recent governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states, alleged unilateral  handling of zonal and state chapters of the party, the dismal outing in the Ekiti State governorship election and perceived poor organisation.

The source hinted that the crisis festered during the week when the party, through its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbodiyan, announced the extension of the suspension slammed on the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Honourable Ndudi Elumelu; Honourable Tobi Okechukwu, Honourable Wole Oke and two others, saying that the decision was taken by the NWC of the party.

However, two prominent members of the party’s NWC, the Deputy National  Chairman (South), Yemi Akinwonmi and the National Youth Leader, Honourable Sunday Udeh-Okoye, in separate interviews with newsmen, dismissed the statement, insisting that the issue was never discussed at any meeting and that such a decision was never taken.

It was gathered that the BOT consequently summoned a meeting for Thursday in Abuja to look into some of the contending issues in the party with a view to finding lasting solutions to them.

However, the national chairman was said to have hurriedly excused himself to attend to some pressing issues, having sensed that trouble was in the offing. He did not return to the meeting.

Further findings revealed that despite his exit, some of the aggrieved members of the board expressed dissatisfaction with the state of things in the party and called for immediate drastic actions if the party was to be relevant ahead of 2023 elections.

For instance, a member of the board was said to have expressed displeasure over the continued suspension of some members of the party in the House of Representatives who were described as great assets to the party based on their contributions to its successes over the years.

Saturday Tribune’s source revealed that when the situation became tensed, the chairman of the BOT, Senator Walid Jibrin, tactically advised that the matter be stood down since the party’s chairman, Secondus, was not on seat to defend his actions.

The source added that despite the intervention, the BOT insisted on the probe of the party’s woeful performance in the Kogi and Bayelsa elections.

During the week, there were reports that Secondus was under serious pressure to quit office.

However, Ologbondiyan dismissed the reports, saying that all was well and that there was no reason for the national chairman to resign for now.

But it was gathered that all was not well as some critical stakeholders in the party, including incumbent and former governors and members of the National Assembly, were working secretly towards the replacement of the current NWC under Prince Secondus.

Although the party’s spokesman, Ologbondiyan, could not be reached immediately for comments over the development, a member of the party’s NEC told Saturday Tribune in confidence that efforts were being made to resolve all the issues raised for the party to prepare itself for future elections.

Plot to sack Secondus thickens in PDP
Tribune Online