Embattled Prince Uche Secondus was back in the saddle yesterday as national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a few hours after he was prevented from taking charge of a crucial meeting of the National Caucus in Abuja.
Secondus, bouyed by a Kebbi State High Court order reinstating him to the position, had stormed the party’s national secretariat in a bid to preside over the meeting.
Instead, it was the Deputy National Chairman, South, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, who took control at the meeting as acting national chair.
The National Caucus comprises members of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), those of the National Working Committee (NWC), the PDP Governors’ Forum and National Assembly.
Others include former principal officers of the National Assembly, former governors, former ministers and former national chairmen of the party.
On arrival at the PDP secretariat well ahead of the time scheduled for the meeting, Secondus had gone straight to his office where he received Akinwonmi and the BoT chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin.
The duo soon left him for the NEC Hall for the commencement of the meeting.
“It’s good to be back,” Secondus told reporters on his return yesterday.
He added: “We are a party that respects the rule of law. We obey court orders. We obeyed the order given last week and we are obeying the one given yesterday. We have a series of meetings today.”
However, the caucus meeting soon got underway with Akinwonmi presiding.
He told of “a letter” served on him the previous day which he wanted the caucus members to discuss before any other issue.
Akinwonmi said: “While I was still panting that the series of meetings we had yesterday (Thursday) were too stressful for me, a letter was served on me. I know the letter would be of importance to this meeting and I received it.
“Coincidentally, I showed the BoT chairman the letter and he said that he received it too, meaning that the letter was served on me and the BoT chairman.”
Akinwonmi made to read the content of the letter but members were not in the mood for that as they signaled for the meeting to commence.
At this point, some of Secondus’ aides entered the hall and tried to reach out to the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Aminu Tambuwal, apparently to inquire if Secondus could join the meeting, but they got no response.
The meeting then went into the issues at hand, particularly the two court orders on the status of Secondus.
First was the Rivers State High Court which restrained him from parading himself as chairman and from presiding over the activities of the party.
The second was the Kebbi State High Court injunction obtained by Secondus, restoring him to his seat as chairman.
The PDP National Caucus appointed an eight-member committee to sort out the matter.
The committee, which is headed by a former President of the Senate, Chief David Mark, was asked to interface with party leaders with a view to getting all court cases withdrawn.
Speaking to reporters at the end of the meeting, Tambuwal said although the party leadership had yet to be served with papers from the Kebbi court, the PDP National Caucus decided to set up the David Mark Committee.
He said: “In view of the fact that we are yet to receive that court order, we empanelled this committee (Mark committee). It is part of what this committee is going to look at, and all the parties involved accordingly.
“This distinguished body empanelled eight distinguished leaders of our party under the able leadership of former President of the Senate, David Mark, to interface with our leaders who are involved in these issues of court so that all court matters can be withdrawn for normalcy to return to the party.”
He appealed to “all well-meaning members of our party, in the interest of the party, to sheath their swords and let us embrace peace, because Nigeria is waiting for the PDP, and I believe that we have the capacity to resolve whatever issues we have internally.”
He said the recommendations made by the leadership of the party would be submitted to the National Executive Committee (NEC) for approval at its meeting today.
He also said the PDP National Convention would take place on October 30 and 31 at a venue to be determined at the NEC meeting.
Soon after the National Caucus meeting, Akinwonmi took charge of another meeting of the party’s NWC on the planning committee for the October convention.
The NWC recommendations will be submitted to the NEC for ratification today.
Akinwonmi has handed over to Secondus, says aide
Prince Secondus’ media aide, Ike Abonyi, said in a statement that Akinwonmi handed over the reins of the party to the national chair at ‘a brief ceremony’ yesterday.
Abonyi said: “The National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, on Friday took over the affairs of the party.
“Prince Secondus, who was obeying the purported ex parte order of a Degema High Court in Rivers State, had stayed away but got reinstated after a Kebbi High Court presided over by Justice Nasirat Umar directed him to resume.
“Sequel to that, Prince Secondus, who had stayed away even though not served, resumed and the Deputy National Chairman South, Elder Yemi Akinwomi, who held the fort in his absence upon receipt of the new Court order, handed over to him.
“At the brief handover, Prince Secondus pledged to continue providing astute leadership to the party.
“Elder Akinwonmi also announced his receipt of the court order, which he presented to the caucus meeting.”
We did not ask Secondus to quit – PDP Govs
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum yesterday dismissed as untrue media reports that it asked Secondus to quit his position.
Director General of the forum, CID Maduabum,said last night that the governors,at their Thursday emergency meeting “ merely endorsed the NWC resolution adopting Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, the Deputy National Chairman, South as acting National Chairman of PDP, and the holding of the NEC meeting of PDP on Saturday, 28th August, 2021.”
He added:”For the avoidance of doubt, this warped interpretation of the statement of the Chairman of the PDP-GF, Rt. Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal CFR, after their emergency meeting on Thursday is clearly mischievous.
“At the time Tambuwal spoke on Thursday night, the Kebbi State High Cout Order had not been received by the Forum, and consequently was not discussed or commented upon. This clarification has become necessary to set the facts straight.”
Justice Okogbule Gbasam of the Degema Judicial Division Vacation Court sitting in Port Harcourt had granted the injunction restraining Secondus from parading himself as PDP national chairman following a suit No: PHC/2183/CS/2021 filed by Ibeawuchi Ernest Alex, Dennis Nana Amadi, Emmanuel Stephen and Umezirike Onucha against Uche Secondus (1st defendant) and the PDP (2nd defendant).
However, Justice Nusirat Umar, who is on vacation at the Kebbi High Court, reinstated Secondus on Thursday while ruling on suit no KB/AC/M. 170/2021.
‘PDP rebuilding confidence in Nigerians ahead 2023 elections’
Speaking to reporters in Makurdi yesterday, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State said the PDP was reestablishing itself fully to recapture power at the national level in the 2023 general elections.
Ortom was at the Makurdi Airport shortly on arrival from Abuja where he attended a meeting of PDP Governors’ Forum.
The series of meetings by the party, he said, were to resolve its internal misunderstandings and rebuild confidence in Nigerians to accept the party’s capacity to lead the country.
Governor Ortom said PDP has concluded arrangements to also complete its congresses from various states of the federation before the convention.