*As 7 National Officers resign*I will replace anyone that resigns – Secondus*We have triggered internal conflict resolution mechanism – NPS
By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The crises in the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new twist as the National Youth leader of the party, SKE Ude-Okoye Tiesday demanded for the resignation of the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.
Earlier, seven deputy national officers, though not members of the National Working Committee (NWC), resigned from their positions, but the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus threatened to immediately invoke the party’s constitution and replace that officer that resigns.
The party’s National Auditor, Mai’ Adamu Mustapha, had earlier accused the party’s National Chairman of usurping his office and carrying out financial transactions in the party without recourse to his office.
In a press conference held in his office at the PDP National Headquarters, Wadata House, Abuja, on Tuesday, Ude-Okoye threatened to resign if Secondus fails to resign as chairman immediately.
He said: “Mr. Uche Secondus, the national chairman of the party is incompetent in managing the affairs of this party. He lacks managerial capacity to manage PDP.
“He made sure that many departments of the party do not function as effectively as it ought to function. “Mr. Chairman has nothing to offer to the party only to come here and decieve us.
“There is a sharp division in our NWC right now, not only me, many more NWC members are more aggrieved than myself.
“Today I have asked him in our NWC meeting to resign his position as the chairman of this party because he cannot lead this party to victory.
“I am also asking the leaders, the governors, the founding fathers, the youths, the women to rise up to rescue our party from the hand of incompetent leaders like Secondus because he is not willing to take us to anywhere. He is just there to make sure that he enriches himself.
“I am here to make it very clear to all Nigerians that if Secondus does not resign from the party, I am going to leave the party for him. “The governors, if they don’t wade into this matter right now, I assure Nigerians that within the next three, four days, my letter will be made public”.
When asked to shed more light on the number of NWC members that were against Prince Secondus he said: “Seven deputies have already resigned their positions today because of Secondus, many more people are also going to resign in the NWC because of Secondus. “Right now I can tell you that not less than eight to ten persons within the NWC members are aggrieved with Secondus, but I took my stand because I cannot sit here and one man who ought to respect his age and respect the oat of the party that he has sworn to protect, to defend, to work for the interest of the party, will keep making sure that the party does not go anywhere”.
But reacting, Secondus threatened to replace who ever resigns from his position. He accused the National Youth Leader, in a statement by his Media Aide, Ike Abonyi, of working against the party, alleging that he (Okoye) went on a nocturnal meeting earlier on Tuesday.
Later, the SA (Media) to the National Chairman, Mr. Abonyi said the National Chairman is still in-charge, stressing that all the organs of the party are still intact.
“Regarding the press conference of the Youth leader who is realising after three and half years that Secondus is incompetent, that Secondus is enriching himself, it took him three and a half years and four to five months to the convention to come to the unfortunateconclusion. “It is very unfortunate because he has operated as the Youth Leader of this party since December 2017, with Secondus as National Chairman, and has worked with him but suddenly, few months to the convention, he has suddenly discovered that Secondus is incompetent, and that he is enriching himself?
“I want to assure members of the party that the structure of the party is intact and Prince Secondus is the National Chairman and anybody who resigns will be replaced the next day and this party will work to victory in 2023.
“All those who are looking for interim leadership few months to general election are taking us back to Egypt and no body is ready to go back to Egypt. We have passed through this road before and we don’t want to go back there.
Meanwhile, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, also in a media chat, said the party has triggered it’s internal conflict resolution mechanism to address all grievances.
He said: “The National Working Committee of our great party at it’s meeting today recieved the notice of resignation from deputies who were elected members of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
“The meeting of the NWC and the deputies took place to dialogue on the issues that were raised. “The party will look into the grievances raised by members of NEC as well as members of the NWC.
“The internal conflict resolution mechanism of our party has also been activated to put these issues behind us. “We call on all the leaders, stakeholder and members of our party to remain calm as we collectively resolve these issues”.
Earlier, seven deputy national officers of the party including Diran Odeyemi, Deputy National Publicity Secretary; Ahmed Bello, Deputy National Legal Adviser; Umoru Hadizat, Deputy National Women Leader; Divine Amina Arong, Deputy National Auditor; Hassan Yakubu, Deputy National Organizing Secretary, and Irona Alphonsus, Deputy National Financial Secretary, resigned their positions accusing Secondus of incompetence and abuse of office.
There are also indications that the Deputy National Chairman, Sen. Suleiman Nazif; National Secretary, Umaru Ibrahim Tsaure; National Auditor Mai’ Adamu Mustapha; National Woman Leader, Hajiya Amina Chiroma, and other members of the NWC are perfecting plans to resign from the party if Secondus fails to throw in the towel.
