Except by providence, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, may lose his position any time soon as four of the six national vice-chairmen of the party insist on his resignation.
Nigerian Tribune reports that the PDP cheiftains reached the resolution during an emergency meeting held by the national vice-chairmen of the party in Abuja on Sunday, August 8.
It was gathered that the decision was made known to journalists in Ibadan on Monday, August 9, by the national vice chairman of PDP in the southwest, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, through a statement issued by his media aide,Bamitale Ibrahim.
Arapaja said the national vice chairmen held the emergency meeting to review the situation of the party with a view to averting further crisis on PDP.
He said the national vice-chairmen of the party also urged stakeholders to be steadfast because PDP as a party, the hope of Nigerians as the 2023 general elections are fast approaching.
Arapaja said:
“We resolved that the national chairman of the party,Prince Uche Secondus, should resign and save the party from further disintegration being witnessed presently in the party.”
He added that the call to Secondus to resign was also hinged on the resignation of some members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party as a result of the ‘inert leadership’ of Secondus, as well as the defection of some governors on the PDP platform to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP Chieftain also resolved that all party stakeholders and party faithful should remain calm and resolute to the party as the party is the only hope of all Nigerians.
According to him, the emergency meeting was attended by the national vice chairmen of PDP, Chief Dan Osi (Southeast), Chief Ali Odefa (South-south), Dankas Shau (Northcentral) and Taofeek Arapaja (Southwest). The resolution was jointly signed by them.
Meanwhile, a former governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has thrown his weight behind the embattled national chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, amidst calls for his resignation.
Senator Dickson, who represents Bayelsa West in the Senate, said the “illegal” National Working Committee meeting and that of the party’s caucus in the House of Representatives, including the Monday protest, were part of the plot to contrive a needless crisis in the PDP in order to set up a caretaker committee, which is illegal, Vanguard reports.
In a statement he personally signed, Seriake Dickson rejected the calls for Secondus to resign his position.
According to him, the chairman of the party could either be removed by the national convention or choose to resign on his own volition.
The former governor said, “Let me also bring to the attention of all that by the PDP constitution, a vote of no confidence even by a duly constituted NWC or other organs of the party does not remove a Chairman.
”The chairman is voted for and can only be removed by the National Convention unless on his own volition, he chooses to resign.
So I call on all leaders of the party that this is perhaps their last effort to save the PDP.
In the same vein, the Peoples Democratic Party, the Governors Forum said it would continue its meeting with other stakeholders as part of efforts to resolve the matter.
Daily Trust reports that Aminu Tambuwal, the chairman of the forum on Monday, August 9, said that the governors discussed extensively matters concerning the party and are committed to resolving all issues.
The Sokoto state governor disclosed this while briefing journalists after the meeting of the PDP governors held for close to seven hours in Abuja.
It was gathered that the meeting which was held at Akwa lbom Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja started around 11 am and ended at 5 p.m.
Tambuwal went on to note that discussions will continue on Tuesday, August 10, adding that a solution will be announced very soon, Vanguard added.
The meeting was called following the resignation of seven national deputy officers of the party, who accused the national chairman, Uche Secondus, of incompetence.
9Naija 