The tussle for the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of 2023 general election got messier, Monday, as six out of 18 members of National Working Committee (NWC) signed for the resignation of the embattled National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.
This was just as a group under the platform of Save PDP Group and Coalition of PDP youth groups, in a protest at the party’s National secretariat in Abuja, same day, called for the removal of Secondus.
The leader of the group, Mr Tamunotonye Inioribo, while addressing the media, said the protest was organised by a coalition of different PDP support groups, that were dissatisfied with the leadership of Secondus.
Inioribo who accused Secondus of polarising the party for his own selfish interest, said, “Under Secondus, the PDP Governors Forum, National Working Committee and other organs are divided.”
The protesters were seen carrying placards with different inscriptions such “Secondus Must Go”, “we have lost confidence in your chairmanship”, “we cannot afford to lose more governors”, among others.
Also, six out of the 18 NWC of the PDP at a meeting late Sunday night in Abuja, agreed that “Secondus has grossly mismanaged the party , highly incompetent, factionalised the party and has lost the confidence of members of the party”.
As contained in an unsigned statement, “the matter of his resignation was put to vote , six members voted that he should resign and three members abstained from voting, therefore the meeting resolved to forward the resolution taken on the 8th day of August to the governors forum, the BOT, the national assembly caucus of both house of reps and the senate.”
They called on all members of the party to remain calm “as the party leadership is working tirelessly to resolve the leadership crisis.”
The statement added that “In attendance were: Sen. Suleiman Nazif- deputy national chairman (north), Sen. Umar Ibrahim Tsauri – National secretary, Alh. Mai Adamu Mustapha – National Auditor, Abdulahi Maibasira – National Financial Secretary, Rt. Hon. S.K.E. Udeh-Okoye – National youth leader, Amb. Taofiq Arapaja – National vice chairman (SW), Chief Dr. Ali Odefa National vice chairman (SE), Chief Dan Osi Orbih –National vice chairman (SS) and Chief Theophilus Dakas National vice chairman (NC).
“Those who voted in favour that Prince Uche Secondus should resign were: Sen. Suleiman Nazif –Deputy National chairman (N). Alhaji Mai Adamu Mustapher –National Auditor, Rt. Hon. S.K.E Udeh- Okoye, Amb. Taofiq Arapaja –National Vice Chairman (SW), Chief Dan Orbih National Vice Chairman (SS) and Chief Dr. Ali Odefa National Vice Chairman (SE)”.
When contacted, a few NWC who attended the meeting spoke with Blueprint confirmed the statement.
