*Says Umahi cannot blackmail the party on South-East
By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected claimed moves by the Federal Government to gag the social media.
The party further said that it cannot bow to the blackmail from Gov. Dave Umahi who cited presumed injustices meted on the South-East by the opposition party for decamping from the PDP.
Secondus made the party’s position known in his opening remarks during the 90th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party, which took place at the party’s national secretariat, Wadata House in Abuja, on Thursday.
The PDP boss said that the youths have explored the Social Media to excel and also add value to the economy.
He said, “We say no to the censoring of social media and the implication is very direct, while other economies are going digital, if you censor the social media in the country, all other advanced countries will stop dealing with Nigeria.
“As you know, you can stay in Nigeria and work with UK, work with Germany, work with India. Through the internet, IT, you can be paid and you can imagine the value chain when you are here in Nigeria, the local people will benefit and the value chain, you can’t account for it. That’s the intention of the federal government to introduce another ban on social media.
“They can be regulated like in every other country, but you know the APC country, they will turn it against the perceived enemies and so that is the fear of this young ones.
“Just two weeks ago, I read on the internet and on the newspaper that a young man who graduated from one of the universities in the west, his name is Yomi, developed and created a faster payment platform, an App and immediately they cross checked it around the world, an American company rushed and bought that platform that was created by a Nigerian youth for $200m.
“You can imagine what will happen if the youths were given their rightful place, what will happen to our economy.
On the statement credited to the Ebonyi state governor that the party was unfair to the South East geopolitical zone, Secondus said,
“You must have read the eventual defection of PDP Governor in Ebonyi state, His Excellency Dave Umahi to the ruling APC on Tuesday and his provocative reason of allegation of injustice against South East by the party.
“We have refused to join issues with him in any way but we cannot bow to any blackmail.
“What I can report to the NEC is that the strength of our party in Ebonyi state and South East is intact and the NWC has taken necessary steps to protect and guard it. The real season that informed this decision will soon be exposed.”
Umahi, who announced his defection from the PDP, on Tuesday, is expected to move into the APC along with members of the State Executive Council, the 13 Local Government Chairmen, the 63 Development Centers’ Coordinators, Liaison Officers and several others.
