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Tag: Prince Uche Secondus

  • PDP chieftains hail Ayade’s industrialisation drive

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus and former Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, have hailed Governor Ben Ayade’s industrialisation drive.

    Secondus and Ihedioha, who were in Calabar to receive the All Progressives Congress Party (APC) defectors to PDP, spoke after inspecting projects at the Ayade Industrial Park and the 21-megawatt power plant in Calabar.  Similarly, former Governor Liyel Imoke, and ex-Special Adviser on National Assembly (Senate) Matters to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, extolled the vision of Ayade in industrialising the state.

    Speaking on the projects, Secondus said: “I think it is a major landmark achievement not only for Cross River but for the nation because, if all the states adopt this strategy, we can see Nigeria moving towards industrialisation.”

    He noted that “it is not an easy task but you can see that Ayade has started well, laying good foundation and, in a couple of years, people will begin to see this as a destination for both tourism and industrialisation.”

    Listing the rice seedlings and seeds multiplication factory, chicken factory, garment factory, pharmaceutical company as well as the instant nodules factory and power plant, the PDP national chairman said: “All of these put together in this industrial estate will turnaround the economy of the state and, most importantly, because this is the era that  youths are unemployed, this is going to provide employment to our people.

    “We are not only proud, we are excited and happy that he is one of us. I also believe that other states should imitate the PDP states as they are doing well and I know that Emeka is waiting on the line to take this to Imo State.”

    Ihedioha hailed “the steps recorded by Cross River and I am happy that Governor Ben Ayade is keeping faith with the economic initiative.”

    He maintained that industrialisation was fundamental as it facilitates job creation, which is crucial to the people.”

    “I am happy that Ayade is taking a direction that the national should be angling towards; truly I am impressed.”

    Senator Imoke remarked that “you know what we represent in Cross River, what our party represents in Cross River and what our governor represents in Cross River. Today we have seen the continuous growth and development taking place here and the national chairman has come in person to also see same.”

  • 2019: PDP chair restates doubts over INEC’s neutrality

    The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has again expressed lack of confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free, fair and transparent elections 2019.

    Secondus spoke Wednesday in Abuja while receiving a delegation of the European Union of the Election Exploration Mission to Nigeria, led by Niclay Paus.

    According to the party chairman, all intelligence available to the party showed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has concluded arrangements with INEC to manipulate the electoral process.

    Secondus recalled events during the governorship election in Osun State, saying they merely underscored his fears that INEC might not be ready to be neutral.

    He insisted that redeploying Mrs. Amina Zakari from INEC’s ICT department to the commission’s Health unit was not enough to instill confidence in the opposition, adding that the woman ought to have been eased out of the electoral body.

    Secondus said Mrs. Zakari, who is widely believed to be a blood relative of President Muhammadu Buhari, was still capable of influencing other officials with INEC during elections.

    The party chair said, “When we eschewed violence after the electoral theft in Osun State and decided to exercise our right to peaceful protest, the Inspector General of Police directed his personnel to tear gas us notwithstanding the personalities involved in the protest.

    “The Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, five state governors, the PDP National Chairman and members of the National Working Committee NWC and other critical leaders of our party were teargassed.

    “Our fear is strong that the APC and the administration are not disposing themselves for a peaceful 2019 general election and we base our position on the multiplicity of induced crisis across the country

    “With all the unprecedented bloodletting in the country, the President is not engaging the people and a select group operating as cabals have hijacked the system”.

    The party chairman urged international partners of Nigeria, especially the European Union and United States to bring their influence to bear on the INEC to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

    He urged his visitors and other international bodies also to show more than passing interests in the activities of Nigerian security agencies, stressing that a biased police force could be an instrument of violence.

  • 2019: APC urges political parties to ensure issue-based campaign

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on political parties in the country, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its agents, to stick to issue-based actions and campaigns as the nation enters into electioneering campaign.
    Mr Yekini Nabena, the APC acting National Publicity Secretary, made the call in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
    The statement was in reaction to recent attempt by the PDP leadership to forcibly enter the Nigeria Police Headquarters under the guise of a protest.
    The APC spokesman condemned the act and described it as irresponsible, shameful and reckless actions.
    He recalled that the protest was led by the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, PDP State Governors, and its ranking federal lawmakers.
    Nabena said the PDP leaders had hired thugs in a failed attempt to forcibly enter the Nigeria Police headquarters.
    “As we enter the period of campaigns and electioneering, we urge political parties, particularly the PDP and its agents to stick to issue-based actions and campaigns,”he said.
    He added that if the PDP’s confrontation with the police was an attempt to copy APC leaders peaceful protests in Abuja, ahead of the 2015 elections, it was “a low-budget imitation and terribly-acted script”.
    Nabena said that the shocking footage of the PDP leaders backed by hired thugs trying to forcibly break the police cordon was a new height of the party’s rascality and penchant for violence.
    He, therefore, urged the PDP to restrain itself from its usual retrogressive actions and antics which he said, unnecessarily created tension in the polity.
    He noted that the PDP’s actions at the Police Headquarters could easily have led to injuries and loss of lives.
    Nabena further noted that the Nigerian electorate were now more interested on how to bring the country out of the rubble in which the PDP administrations left them.
    The APC spokesman added that the interest of the electorate was also to refocus the country on the path of true progress and development.
    He urged the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki and the Speaker House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to immediately vacate their positions and allow for the reconvening of the National Assembly.
    This, Nabena said, was critical to attend to urgent and pressing national issues which required legislative attention at plenary.

  • Mantu commends Secondus for ‘repackaging PDP’

    Dr. Umar Mantu, a House of Representatives aspirant in Plateau, has commended PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, for “repackaging PDP into a portent political force’’.

    Mantu, son of former deputy senate president Ibrahim Mantu, who is seeking to represent Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency, spoke on Monday in Bokkos, in an interactive session with PDP stakeholders in the constituency.

    “Not long ago, the PDP was virtually written off by political analysts, but the situation has changed dramatically.

    “Now, the PDP is a portent political force courted by many and envied by rival political groups.

    “Few months ago, all we heard were people defecting from the party to other political parties. Now, everyone is rushing into the PDP. It has turned into our modern Noah’s ark.

    “The PDP has attracted new members and regained the old ones that left. It has regained the leadership of the National Assembly with Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Tanimu Dogara back to the fold.

    “We started this year as an opposition party, but we now lead the legislative arm of government and the rival APC has been reduced to the opposition party.

    “Secondus has done so much for the party. He has re-positioned the PDP into a popular brand cherished by everyone. In fact, even PDP’s rivals admire and envy his leadership style,’’ Mantu, a 32-year-old lawyer, said.

    Mantu particularly lauded the PDP national and state leaderships for learning from its past mistakes and resolving to make every member a stakeholder.

    “Those defecting to the PDP had many options. There are close to 100 other options, but the defectors chose to troop to PDP because of the way its affairs are being steered,’’ he said.

    The aspirant particularly commended the PDP leadership for remaining firm and standing by its promise to be fair to everyone.

    Read Also: Mantu’s son, Umar, joins race for House of Reps seat

    He also commended the PDP leadership for respecting people’s wishes and carrying everyone along in decision making processes, saying that the impunity that brought the party to its knees in 2015 was no longer the trend.

    On his aspiration, Mantu said that he was consulting with stakeholders toward picking the PDP ticket in the primary election, and expressed confidence that winning the secondary election would be “much easier’’.

    “I have met with the delegates that will determine my fate in the primary election and they have promised to vote for me. I have no reason to doubt them,’’ he said.

    The aspirant also commended the national and state leaderships of the party for accommodating the interests of the youth and women, and encouraging them to vie for elective posts.

    “The PDP offers free nomination forms to women seeking elective positions and strives to encourage them to vie for its tickets. I see this as a very positive development,’’ he said.

    Mantu urged women and the youth to take full advantage of such opportunities to pursue their ambitions so as to contribute to societal growth, and cautioned them against allowing anyone to intimidate them.

  • Kogi PDP stakeholders reject offer of automatic ticket for Melaye

    The latest round of meeting, this time, between the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders from the Lokoja/Kogi Federal constituency and the party’s National Working Committee has ended in a stalemate over granting of automatic ticket to Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West).

    Read Also:2019: Buhari’s candidacy has narrowed APC’s chances -PDP

    The meeting which held at Legacy House Abuja had Prince Uche Secondus, PDP National Chairman and members of the National Working Committee in attendance.

    The delegation from Lokoja/Kogi federal constituency was led by Senator Tunde Ogbeha, who said that the PDP in the Kogi West Senatorial district already has its arrangement on issues regarding to the Senate seat for the district.

    Ogbeha who spoke on behalf of the delegation, said that the federal constituency would ask that a level playing field be allowed for a free and fair primaries, rather than an automatic ticket.

    He however requested for more time from the National Executive for further consultation with the party executives in the Senatorial district.

    The leaders from Lokoja/Kogi Federal constituency  warned against imposition, saying it would affect the rebuilding process currently ongoing by the party in the state, consequently affect the chances of the party.

    Earlier, in a remarks, Prince Uche Secondus, National Chairman of the PDP said the meeting is an ongoing consultation with stakeholders from Kogi west on it plans to give automatic ticket to Sen. Dino Melaye, following the MoU signed by the PDP and rAPC.

    The National Chairman begged the stakeholders from the district to have an understanding and yield to the request of the NWC in the spirit of give and take, and the agreement reached before the National Assembly members returned to the PDP.

  • Saraki heads 85-member PDP’s Osun campaign council

    The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki is heading an 85-member campaign council of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the September 22 governorship election in Osun State.

    All the party’s serving governors and presidential aspirants are also members of the council. The council, which was inaugurated in Abuja Monday by the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has since resumed work.

    Read Also:Crisis rocks Imo PDP over alleged alteration of delegate list

    Secondus, while inaugurating the team, described election rigging and vote buying as the worst forms of corruption, warning that the PDP would not tolerate the charade.

    The party chair recalled that the July 14, 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State was marred by vote buying and election rigging and warned that the Ekiti experience must not be allowed to happen in Osun.

    Secondus said, “Enough is enough, PDP will not tolerate Osun being rigged like Ekiti. We have a popular candidate and the performance of the APC ruling government has been awful with months of salaries owed to workers.

    “We are aware that the electoral commission that is supposed to operate as an unbiased umpire in the conduct of elections has suddenly made itself a parastatal of the federal government, conniving with APC and security agencies to exchange results.

    “Even security agencies whose allegiance should be to the constitution and people of Nigeria, have allowed themselves to behave as if they are operatives of the ruling APC.

    “We decided to set up this high powered committee to demonstrate the importance we attach to this election. All our presidential aspirants and some state governors are members, plus all other critical stakeholders from South West and other parts of the country”.

    The party chairman implored lovers of democracy around the world to show more than passing interest in the Osun State governorship election, saying that the APC is not disposed to conducting free and fair election.

    In his remarks, Saraki charged President Muhammadu Buhari to stand on the commitment he made recently to two world leaders that visited the country recently; that he would conduct free, fair and credible election, with Osun as example.

    Saraki said that aside the popularity of the PDP candidate in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the people of the state were yearning for change to return their state to the PDP.

  • Defection: PDP chair mocks Akpabio for joining ‘sinking ship’

    The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has mocked the erstwhile Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akoabio, for jumping into a “sinking ship”.

    Akpabio had on Monday, dumped the PDP for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in a move perceived by many as ploy to leverage on his status in the APC.

    Read Also:Akpabio meets Buhari in UK ahead defection to APC

    Describing Akpabio’s action as unfortunate, Secondus said Akpabio chose to walk against the tide to endanger his otherwise rising political career.

    In a statement on Wednesday by his media aide, Ike Abonyi, the PDP chair said he found it very strange that anybody would go into a “sinking ship” at a time every other person was finding their way out of it.

    Secondus traced Akpabio’s action to self-preservation and not borne out of any rational strategic political decision.

    The party chair added that Akpabio’s decision did not enjoy the blessing of the people of Akwa Ibom whose mandate he enjoyed for eight years as state governor and his present position senator.

    Secondus said, “I cannot fathom any reason why on earth Senator Akpabio should work against the tide, moving at opposite direction to a place every reasonable person is escaping from.

    “He deserves our pity because whatever would make somebody to choose bad for good is clearly one that he should be prayed for, for salvation, especially given the fact that wolves are waiting for his arrival to devour him.

    “How on earth can anybody who has his eyes wide open be seen walking into danger knowingly”.

    Prince Secondus lashed out at the APC, for allegedly arm-twisting and intimidating people into what he described as a “sinking boat”, ostensibly to ruin and disintegrate the person involved.

    He called on the people of Akwa Ibom to be wise and know when to turn their back from a leader directing them to danger.

    “I urge you to remain focused and continue to give support to your hard working governor, His Excellency Emmanuel Udom as he remains unrelenting in the delivery of democracy to the people,” he said.

     

  • Dipo’s loss devastating – Bode George

    Chief Olabode George, former Deputy National Chairman (South) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday said he was extremely pained by the death of his first son, Dipo.

    George spoke when the National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, led other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) to George’s residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, on a condolence visit.

    Also on the visit was the Lagos State Chairman of the party, Mr Moshood Salvador and other party executives in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dipo died on Thursday after a protracted illness in a Lagos hospital at the age of 42.

    George, his wife, Roli, and other family members received Secondus and his entourage.

    George said he and other family members were devastated not only because the deceased was his first son, but also that he was a good child.

    He said Dipo was a child that any father would be proud of because of his accomplishments and good ways.

    George said the late Dipo was very humble, as he interacted freely with everyone irrespective of class or status.

    “He was such a good person who was free with everyone and interacted with people.

    “Dipo carved a niche for himself with his enviable accomplishments. He was passionate about the country and he constantly shared his thoughts about national issues.

    “He was a child every father will be proud of. His demise is painful. ”

    George, however, said as sad as the family felt about the deceased’s demise, there was nothing they could do about the loss.

    He said the family would try, albeit hard, to move on after the unfortunate incident.

    George said he and his family trusted in God to grant the deceased son peaceful repose.

    He thanked Secondus and other NWC members for the visit.

    George said the show of support to him and his family had strengthened his belief in PDP as one big family.

    He explained that his commitment to the PDP was total and that he would never leave the party.

    George commended Secondus for his efforts at repositioning the party since he became its chairman.

    He said there would always be issues in a party with diverse people like PDP, and urged Secondus to use his position to stabilise and strengthen the party.

    George also called on all members to see the PDP as their project and work toward its progress.

    Earlier, Secondus said the party was pained by the demise of the deceased just like the family.

    He described George as a prominent member of PDP, noting that whatever affected him would touch the party.

    “We share in your grief at this moment; we are with you and your family.

    “We feel your pain. Losing a son, a first son for that matter, is always a painful thing to parents.

    “We know the feeling in your family right now. One of the future leaders of the country is gone. We sympathise with you, ” he said.

    Secondus prayed for the peaceful repose of the deceased’s soul and asked God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the great loss.

    Read Also: Bode George’s son’s burial Thursday

  • $2.1b arms cash: I never collected money from anywhere – Secondus

    …Challenges FG to publish voucher, says we will meet in court

    The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus Tuesday denied collecting N250million out of the $2.1billion arms cash allegedly squandered by the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA).

    He challenged the Federal Government to publish the voucher(s) which he allegedly signed to collect the purported arms cash.

    He said it was unfortunate that Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which was founded and nurtured by PDP administration to tackle the issue of corruption in the system, had to turn itself into a pawn in the hand of APC.

    But he was silent on alleged 54 vehicles purportedly bought for him from the proceeds of Strategic Alliance Agreement between Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Nigeria Limited and the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

    Secondus, who bared his mind in a statement through his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Ike Abonyi, said the Federal Government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were desperate to frame him up.

    The statement said: “The attention of the media office of the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has been drawn to the desperation of the Federal Government and its ruling, All Progressives Congress (APC) to frame him up with some blatant fabrications ostensibly to distract him from carrying out his responsibility of rebuilding his party.

    “The National Chairman would ordinarily not want to join issues with the government on a matter already in court but noted regrettably that the administration has great contempt for the court and the rule of law and has instead chosen to use blackmail and media persecution to defame and discredit their enemies. A gimmick Prince Secondus said has failed because Nigerians have come to know the antics of the drowning government.

    “The Federal Government and its agency in their desperation to forge documents and defame him, forgot to reconcile their lies; the Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji. Lai Mohammad and the EFCC couldn’t agree on the date of the purported money collection and whether it was collected by him Secondus or by a faceless fictional Chukwura that has no surname.

    “While they may have embarked on a wide search since 2015 for the surname of the so called aide of the National Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed claimed in his press conference on Good Friday March 29th, 2018 that Secondus collected the money on 19th of February, 2015, EFCC on their part on April 16th, 2018, eighteen days after said the money was collected on February 9th, 2015 and in another version still quoting the same EFCC claimed February 2, 2015.

    Secondus said he will not succumb to blackmail and intimidation on his mission to reform the PDP.

    He said it was sad that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which was founded and nurtured by PDP administration to tackle the issue of corruption in the system, had to turn itself into a pawn in the hand of APC.

    The statement added: “Secondus restated his earlier declaration that nothing, not even the blackmail and intimidation lined up against the opposition by the Federal Government would be enough to stop him from carrying out the reform of his party, the PDP, as the programme is aimed at repositioning the party with a view to rescuing Nigeria from the disaster called APC administration.

    “Prince Secondus described as unfortunate and tragic the fact that anti-corruption agency like EFCC founded and nurtured by PDP administration to tackle the issue of corruption in the system had to turn itself into a pawn in the hand of APC administration to witch hunt and harass perceived enemies of government just to impress and keep job.

    He challenged the government and any agency that have anything against him that just cropped up because he is trying to rebrand his party to bring such evidence to the court and stop character assassination in the media.

    The statement said: “There’s no need to be talking about a case pending in court in the newspapers.  If the government has anything to say, they should file it before the court as demanded.”

    “The National Chairman’s office is aware of a grand design by the government to stop at anything to tarnish his image. But he said that the move would fail.”

    Secondus asked the Federal Government to release any evidence linking him with the purported collection of N250million from the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA).

    The statement said: “He (Secondus) challenged the government to come out with the vouchers with which he was said to have signed, adding that such signature would also be subjected to forensic analysis.

    “I never collected any money from anywhere. I didn’t ask anyone to collect money for me as well and I didn’t sign any voucher to collect any money.

    “It is pure blackmail which will never work. If they are cooking up anything, with the aim of blackmailing me, it will fail. I know that the task of uprooting this non-performing government would be horrendous. But God is always on the side of the people.

    “I can understand the frustration of a party that enjoyed enormous goodwill from Nigerians three years ago but got it squandered with its ‘nepotic’ and insensitive administration.

    “No amount of cheap blackmail and treachery will return the APC from the exit gate where Nigerians already pushed them to, awaiting 2019.

    “The departure date for the APC has already been announced and the flight schedule would not be cancelled, because Nigerians cannot wait to see them off.

    “Finally, the media office of the National chairman said that they are not oblivious of the fact that this government does not believe in court because they see rule of law as antithetical to their own agenda and understanding of democracy but noted emphatically, that truth must prevail over lies and propaganda especially as the populace have cried out to God for a rescue.”

    Read Also: Secondus gives Lai Mohammad 48 hours to retract statement

  • Don’t allow Amaechi to deceive you, Secondus urges Southeast

    National Chairman of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus on Friday accused Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi of trying to deceive people of the south east zone with his call on them to vote President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 and be rewarded with Presidency in 2023.

    Amaechi had at a convocation lecture of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka on Wednesday urged Ndigbo to join main stream politics by supporting the APC which he claimed remembered the south east more than the PDP that ruled the country for 16 years.

    But Secondus, while speaking in Afikpo town in Ebonyi state at a rally organised to honour Governor David Umahi, urged the people of the South East not to allow Mr Amechi to deceive them.

    He also accused the ruling APC of marginalizing Ndigbo and minority groups in the country.

    “We will not be deceived; nobody can pull the wood on our eyes any more. The best party for Ndigbo is PDP and that is where the future is. No one will deceive us. A minister went to University at Awka the other day talking about APC and the chances of Ndigbo, that’s another deceit and he cannot succeed.  We have been meted here with
    deceit and lies and nepotism”.

    “When we talk about how they have instituted nepotism, they will say it is a hate speech. Our people have been marginalized, our party was founded on the ground of National unity and that’s why nobody can lay claim on this party.

    “When you cannot include Ndigbo and the minority in your government and you expect such people to be happy. PDP will restore the dignity of Ndigbo and the minority in the country. PDP was in government for 16 years and it was all inclusive government. Even the opposition were appointed “, he said.

    He commended Governor Umahi for his development strides and unity of the party in the state.

    The National Chairman also promised that their will be no imposition of candidate by anybody in the party in next year’s election.

    In his remarks, Umahi said despite attempts to destabilize the PDP by the opposition, the party will remain strong and united.

    He expressed dismay that former Governor of the state, Chief Martin Elechi who he described as his grandfather was teaming up with the Minister of Science and Technology to wrestle power from him in 2019.

    “I came by the mighty hands of God. You know the irony of life? In 2007 when Dr. Onu who is the Minister of Science and Technology was contesting against the same Elechi, I was supporting Elechi and all my properties in the village; my country home, my filing station, my hotels were all burnt down. Dr. Onu’s supporters burnt them down because I was supporting Elechi. Today, two of them have teamed up against God’s own anointed,” he said.

    Read Also: APC accuses Wike of lying against Amaechi