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Tag: Secondus

  • Secondus accuses EFCC of persecuting PDP states

    PEOPLES Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus has berated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged bias in the execution of its anti-corruption war.

    According to Secondus, the recent arrest and harassment of contractors handling projects in only PDP states has clearly exposed the anti-graft agency as doing the bidding of the ruling party ahead of the 2019 elections.

    In a statement yesterday by his Media Adviser, Ike Abonyi, the party chairman said the EFCC has deployed its operatives to intimidate and harass contractors handling various projects in some states controlled by PDP.

    He described the EFCC’s action as a move to frustrate project goals in the affected states, saying the PDP controlled states  have outperformed their counterparts in the All Progressives Congress (APC)  controlled states.

    The party chairman expressed regrets that the commission has remained beclouded in its bias and has refused to heed the advisories from well-meaning Nigerians and foreign partners.

    The British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright, had a few days ago, urged the EFCC leadership not to take sides with any political party ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    Arkwright had urged the EFCC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to preserve the integrity of the political process, including embarking on investigations without prejudice.

    The party chairman, however, noted that the leadership of the EFCC, rather than take the envoy’s counsel, has made itself a willing tool to assist the ruling APC manipulate the 2019 general elections.

     

    EFCC to PDP chairman: provide evidence

    THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday faulted Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus for alleging that the anti-graft agency has been intimidating contractors working for some PDP states, especially in Rivers and Taraba.

    The commission described Secondus’ allegations as puerile and without substance.

    In a statement by its Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC asked Secondus  to provide evidence of any intimidation or harassment.

    The statement said: “Allegation by Prince Uche Secondus of harassment and intimidation of contractors working for some PDP states by the EFCC is puerile and lacks substance.  Who are the contractors being intimidated? That he failed to mention them is evidence that the so-called contractors do not exist.

    “The EFCC is not in the business of harassing people and I don’t know any contractor that is being intimidated merely for doing contract in a PDP state.

    “If you have not violated the law, the EFCC has no business with you. Unless they are haunted by their shadows, Secondus and his contractors in Taraba and Rivers states should sleep easy.”

     

     

  • Jonathan, Secondus, Wike, Dankwambo, other PDP leaders converge on Ekiti

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday inaugurated the 1.3 kilometre Ado-Ekiti Flyover with leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) demanding a credible governorship election on July 14.

    They also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to allow the conduct of a free, fair and transparent general election in the country in 2019.

    Sounding the battle cry ahead of the next set of elections were Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Uche Secondus.

    Also at the inauguration where they canvassed support for the PDP candidate in the Ekiti governorship poll, Prof. Kolapo

    Olusola, were Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel and Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

    The setting was the inauguration of a new governor’s office constructed by the Governor Ayo Fayose administration.

    Jonathan arrived the scene at exactly 2.22 pm when Wike was making his speech and was welcomed by other guests who were seated before his arrival.

    The former President was in the state for the inauguration of a flyover built by the Fayose administration.

    Secondus, who noted that Ekiti had been witnessing positive development under Fayose, urged the people of the state to vote at the next governorship election and the 2019 general elections.

    The PDP boss warned the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government against any attempt to rig the Ekiti governorship poll and general election, stressing that “rigging the election would have dire consequences.”

    Secondus said: “The PDP has demonstrated that it can conduct free and fair primary; all we are asking for is that the coming elections should be free and fair.

    “We are asking the Federal Government to allow the coming elections to be free and fair for the world to see that Nigeria is moving forward.

    “Any attempt to rig is a recipe for crisis. I hope it will not start

    from Ekiti. The 1983 crisis started from Ekiti and the (77-man APC) Committee should show us what they have done.

    “They should not come and rig election here. We are asking them that it should be one man, one vote. President Buhari should allow one man, one vote.”

    Wike said: “This loyal and humble deputy governor (Olusola) will continue with the good work of Fayose.

    “Ekiti people will vote for him because of what he can offer.

    “The only thing they (APC) have is to rig election. They have told us the election will be free and fair. When election comes, don’t give them any chance; go and protect your votes.

    “They said they have set up a Committee of 77, what is our business with that?

    “If you say they will not intimidate you, it is a lie. But I want to charge our security men to allow for a free and fair election.”

    Dankwambo said: “If politics is about development, we need not campaign in Ekiti State. Politics is about development and that is what we stand for.

    “I believe the person that has emerged as our candidate here will do more and more than Fayose. He is experienced and he has learnt a lot and he will deliver.”

    Fayose boasted that the APC candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, would be defeated at the Ekiti governorship election despite the instruments of coercion that would be deployed in his favour.

    He said: “Whether they like it or not, you (Olusola) are the next

    governor. If they like, let them bring their Army and Police, they are wasting their time.

    “It is your time to shine. Battles are not won by the strength of the Army. You are a divine candidate on a divine assignment.

    “I am proud to say I believe in you.”

  • Secondus, Ekweremadu laud PDP primary

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu have congratulated the party for holding a credible primary. Secondus said the hitch free and transparent primary was a consequence of the party’s rebranding and repositioning project.

    Secondus said the real winner is democracy and not any individual, adding that the PDP family in Ekiti would be healthier after the primary.

    In a congratulatory message  to Governor Ayodele Fayose and other leaders and members of PDP in Ekiti State after the primary, the chairman charged them to note the pre- primary understanding that there will be no winner or loser.

    In a statement by  Ike Abonyi, Secondus commended those who made the primary a success, particularly Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and his team. He also commended Prince Dayo Adeyeye for not only accepting the result, but commending the process as free, fair and credible.

    Secondus assured members and supporters of the party that the era of impunity and imposition of candidates in the party is gone.

    He charged members of the party desiring to fly the flag of the party at any level to return to the grassroots and market themselves because in a rebranded PDP, ticket is not given in party offices, but by the people on the field.

    The PDP leader warned the APC  not to create any nuisance in their frustration ahead of the July election as available intelligence shows that the opposition is trying to disrupt the peaceful election.

    Secondus urged PDP members to remain vigilant and not relent until the final success is achieved in July.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu also congratulated the Ekiti State chapter of the PDP, for the peaceful primary that produced  Prof. Kolapo Olusola, as the governorship candidate.

    He empahsised that more important than the result was the process, noting that the PDP had, once more, showcased the growing internal democracy in the party.

  • PDP will not succumb to APC intimidation, says Secondus

    Ahead of 2019 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed not to succumb to intimidation by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Speaking at the PDP South-West Zonal rally at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park in Osogbo, Osun State yesterday, the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, said the PDP was positioned to take over power from the APC in Ekiti and Osun in the forthcoming guber polls in the two states and at the federal level next year.

    Secondus,  who disclosed that the PDP was resolved to work harder to win the 2019 general elections, said that the masses were tired of the President Muhammadu Buhari-APC led administration.

    He said: “The PDP will win the forthcoming governorship election in Osun, Ekiti and the general elections in 2019. The APC should start packing their load because they cannot win again. And ahead of the election, we will not succumb to any form of intimidation because we are on a mission to rescue the nation.”

    Also, the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, stressed the need for members of the party to come together if the PDP will win the 2019 general elections.

    He said that the party would do everything possible to “rescue Nigeria from the APC.”

    A former governor of Jigawa State,  Alhaji Sule Lamido, who is a presidential aspirant of the party like Atiku, advised members to start serious work right from now, saying “I know you and you know me,  let us prepare for the 2019 general elections.”

    Also, Gov. Ayo Fayose of Ekiti, said the party was adequately prepared for Ekiti, Osun and 2019 general elections. He said the PDP was prepared to give the ruling APC a good fight in the forthcoming elections.

    Meanwhile, Alhaji Fatai Diekola, who recently defected from the APC in Osun State to the PDP, said that he and his supporters decided to leave the ruling APC because of the party’s “evil policies.”

    In attendance were many stalwarts of the party, including former Osun State deputy governor and Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, former Minister of Youth Development, Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, former Osun State Speaker, Adejare Bello among others.

    In a reaction to PDP’S rally, the APC described it as “an overhyped mega rally and a little better than a town hall meeting.”

    In a statement by its spokesperson, Kunle Oyatomi, the party said: “the PDP has promised 15,000 people from Osogbo alone will defect but only two leaders (a business man and a weak politician) and a few korope loads of supporters showed up.

    “The Ibadan crowd led by defecting Rasheed Ladoja stole the show. Then one Secondus came all the way from Abuja to Osogbo to declare that the PDP was on a rescue mission. It was all pathetic.

    “Those who witnessed 2014 PDP rally will be sorry for the party or what was left of the PDP at today’s rally. The Yoruba nation, if it ever needs deliverance would not look for one from a Secondus.

    “The rally which was supposed to be ‘a show of strength’ turned out to be an exhibition of a diminished political party. That’s why they could also attract inconsequential politicians and businessmen.

    “Sensible party men in the PDP won’t need to be told that Saturday’s rally was a picture of the defeat that is around the corner for the PDP in Osun come September 22.”

  • $2.1b arms cash: Govt files 14 fresh charges against Dasuki, others

    •Secondus, Anenih, Dokpesi, others listed as beneficiaries

    THE Federal Government has amended the $2.1 billion arms funds diversion charge against former  National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) and others.

    In the amended charge, the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Uche Secondus, former Chairman Board of Trustees PDP Tony Anenih; former PDP spokesperson Olisa Metuh; Publisher of Thisday, Nduka Obaigbena; ex-Senate President Iyorchia Ayu and founder, DAAR Communications Raymond Dokpesi were listed as beneficiary of the fraud.

    Also listed are Mouftah Baba-Ahmed, Bello Abba Mohammed, Dr. Bello Mohammed, AVM M. N Umar and  Otunba Jonah Ogunniyi, among others.

    Apart from individuals, corporate organisations were also named as beneficiaries in the amended charge.

    They are AMP Solar Service, Afro-Arab Investment, Bam Project and Projecties Limited, Bob Oshodin Organisation Limited, WEHSAC Farms Limited, Wehsac Limited, Dimaris Mode Coolture Limited, First ARALAC Global Limited, Stellavera Development Limited, Jawaz Multi-purpose Venture Limited, Little Italy Global Services Limited, Belsha Nigeria Ltd and Syvan McNamara Limited among others.

    The amended charge was filed at the Abuja  Federal High Court, where the old one is pending.

    The amended charge of 32 count  will replace the earlier 18-counts filed against the defendants about three years ago.

    Another amendment of  the earlier charge is the removal of a former Director of Finance and Supply in the ONSA, Salisu Shuaib (who served while Dasuki was NSA) as a defendant in the case.

    The amended charge dated April 30, 2018 was signed by Mr. Chile Okoroma, Director of Legal Services with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The prosecution did not give any reason yesterday why it amended the charge and why the alteration was effected.

    The earlier charge filed in 2015 had Dasuki, Shuaib, Aminu Baba Kusa, Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited as defendants.

    The amended charge, sighted yesterday, now has Dasuki, Aminu Baba Kusa, Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.

    Justice Baba-Yusuf has adjourned to May 17, for the re-arraignment of the defendants on the amended charge.

    At the beginning of proceedings yesterday, lead prosecution lawyer Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) informed the court about the amendment to the charge and urged the court to accept it.

    Jacobs said: “We have served them (the defendants) the additional documents and we have also filed an amended charge dated and filed April 30, 2018.

    “I urge my Lord to accept the amended charge and allow it”.

    Jacobs told the court that “one of the reasons for allowing it is that it tends to remove the second defendant and also there are additional counts to make them 32 counts”.

    Lawyer to Dasuki, Ahmed Raji (SAN), confirmed the receipt of the amended charge.

    He urged the court to graciously avail the first defendant more time to enable them study the additional counts.

    Raji said: “I confirm that around 5:30pm on Monday, my office was served. Yesterday, there was no work. So, this morning, my attention was brought to it.

    “I have not had the privilege of discussing the content with the first defendant. I scantily went through it and discovered that the counts are now almost double,” Raji said.

     

     

     

     

  • Secondus, INEC disagree on Ogun PDP crisis

    National leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected Adebayo Dayo as chairman of the party in Ogun State, following the leadership crisis in the state PDP.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognised Dayo, but the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, endorsed Sikirulai Ogundele as chairman.

    The Dayo faction was denied participation in the December 9 national convention.

    INEC, in an April 12  letter, signed by the Secretary, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, said Dayo was legally-recognised.

    It said it was complying with a judgment of a Federal High Court in Lagos.

    INEC had notified the PDP leadership of the judgment in a suit delivered on February 9, 2017, as the basis for its latest position.

    But Secondus and the National Secretary, Senator Umar Tsauri, in a reply to INEC, said the crisis in Ogun State had been resolved in favour of the Ogundele group.

    The letter, dated April 20, insisted that the Supreme Court settled the Ogun crisis and others in it’s July 2 judgment in PDP Vs. Sheriff.

    The letter quoted part of the judgment: “It is unfortunate that this internal party crisis within the appellant has staggered a lot of its anticipated progress. In any case, it is my hope this imbroglio within the appellant will serve as a big lesson to all and sundry.”

    The party leadership asked INEC to withdraw its recognition of the Dayo-led executive in compliance with the judgment.

    The party’s letter to INEC said:  “It will, therefore, amount to an unfortunate summersault if INEC were to withdraw the recogniton of the approved officials of our party in Ogun State, especially the state Executive Committee led by Sikirulai Ogundele.

    “This will certainly throw the party back into avoidable conflict. We believe this cannot be your intention or wish for our party.”

    But Dayo said Secondus should not constitute himself into an appeal court in a case already decided by a Federal High Court.

    His letter to the national chairman, dated April 24, said: “From all the foregoing, I am honestly amazed and shocked that you lent yourself to write INEC against its lawfully taken position to give recognition to my executive, out of your flagrant disobedience of subsisting court judgments  of which you were corporately (as PDP) a party to the suit.

    “Ridiculously, all your submissions in the letter to INEC were carbon-copy duplication of your solicitor’s submissions to the court before judgment was delivered to which INEC responsibly chose to obey and instructed you in polite administrative terms to comply.

    “Maybe you now wish to sit in appeal over Nigerian high court judgments to interpret to your regulatory body, INEC, which judgment to obey and which not to by your discretion?

    “Besides, your unnecessary letter to INEC bore gross misrepresentation of facts and distortion of the issues.

    “Therein it was erroneously claimed that it’s the ‘exclusive right of the NEC’ of our party to determine leaders of the various organs whereas the party constitution is clear on how the ward exco up to the state excos and even through which the said NEC were to emerge.

    “If the NEC has such powers, then what’s the essence of ward, LG and state congresses?

    “Except for the national party officer’s self-serving and undemocratic tampering with the process;  the NEC involvement should ideally be purely monitoring and not the egocentric manipulations as is now the case let alone false claims of exclusive right to determine various organs and exco leaders.”

  • Looters’ list: Court restrains Fed Govt from further mention of Secondus

    A RIVERS State High Court in Port Harcourt has restrained the Federal Government from further mentioning the National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, in the looters’ list published by the government.

    The Chief Judge of Rivers, Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra, who gave the order on Monday, also ordered that the hearing notice be served on the respondents by the plaintiff.

    The order followed a motion brought by Secondus seeking an interlocutory injunction against further publication of his name on the list.

    Secondus is suing the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, Federal Government and Vintage Press for alleged libel.

    He is asking the court to award him N1.5 billion damages for the alleged libel.

    He said listing him as a looter, who collected N200 million on February 19, 2015, from the Office of the National Security Adviser was libellous.

    The PDP chairman’s counsel, Mr. Emeka Etiaba (SAN), said the judge could hear the suit because his client was defamed by the publication.

    The respondents were not present in court and the judge adjourned the matter until April 28.

  • Secondus, Mark promise Ekiti PDP aspirants free primary

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus yesterday promised the conduct of a credible, transparent, free and fair governorship primary in Ekiti State.

    Secondus said  the National Working Committee (NWC) would raise a panel of those he described as “eminent Nigerians” to organise and oversee the primary.

    The desire to conduct a primary that would be acceptable to all stakeholders and the electorate, he said, was a way to prove to Nigerians that the party has been rebranded and repositioned.

    He made the promise in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital  at a meeting held with all the aspirants, leaders and delegates ahead of the May 8 primary.

    Secondus led a team that included former Senate President David Mark to the meeting where a commitment to maintain peace and decorum was extracted from the aspirants.

    The three aspirants include former Minister of State for Works, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye; Deputy Senate Minority Whip, Mrs. Abiodun Olujimi and the incumbent Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

    Olusola’s adoption as the “sole candidate” by Governor Ayo Fayose and his caucus has triggered defections by some governorship aspirants to other parties.

    Some of the aspirants are Chief Adebisi Omoyeni and Ambassador Dare Bejide. They  have joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Dr. Sikiru Lawal, who moved to the Labour Party (LP).

    Mark is the chairman of a Reconciliation Panel set up by the party to resolve the crisis that trailed Olusola’s adoption which other aspirants saw as imposition.

    Secondus said the three aspirants-Adeyeye, Olujimi and Olusola-signed what he described as “a covenant and an oath” at a meeting held in Abuja last Friday to work together and support whoever emerges as the winner of the primary.

    He said: “I assure you once again, there will be transparency and the process would not cheat anybody.

    “We agreed to address our supporters that all these people (aspirants) are now working together as a family and whoever emerges as candidate, all others will support the winner.

    “We assure you of free, fair and credible primary and eminent Nigerians will be appointed by the National Working Committee to conduct free, fair and credible primary.

    “We urge you to remain calm; we also urge INEC and security agents not to be partial but to defend democracy.”

    Mark said: “I have been working on bringing peace to Ekiti (PDP) by reconciling all parties and that has been done very well.

    “I also want to assure you that the process leading to the final election of whoever becomes the PDP candidate in Ekiti for the July poll will be free, fair and credible.

    “If we are insisting that INEC must be fair, it means we will have to do so ourselves at the party level.

    “Nobody will write delegates’ names, everyone will vote for candidate of his choice. We will ensure this and all stakeholders will ensure it.

    “We want to show the world what internal democracy is. Internal democracy will ensure that you all fight for your preferred candidate and we will ensure that.

    “PDP is going to win Ekiti, if this election is done 20 times, PDP will win Ekiti.”

    Adeyeye said: “I believe this meeting is to assure all of us in Ekiti that there will be free and fair primary. We want a free and fair primary.

    “If there is anybody that has written names of delegates, they should tear it off. The party has also assured to publish all names of delegates and that by May 8, everyone will vote in a secret ballot and no one will be intimidated or suspended.

    “If this is done, I am assured that PDP will coast home to victory.

    This is the first time I have seen PDP being very well organised in the primary.

    “I appeal to all of us that we should maintain our peace. Don’t feel harassed or intimidated; the leaders at the national level have assured us and I believe Governor Fayose has supported it.”

    Olujimi said: “This is a good beginning because before now, most of us could not come home to do anything but your comments as leaders would change the tide of things.

    “There is very much work to do, we need to set up another committee to do another reconciliation.

    “It is easy to do this thing about the primary but what about the general election? If the right things are not done, all these rabble rousers will run away.”

    Olusola said: “As an aspirant, I am committed to a free, fair and credible primary and by the grace of the Almighty God, I will remain loyal to this noble party and I will abide by the rules and  regulations of this party.

    “We are PDP, Ekiti is PDP and PDP is Ekiti; we are on ground and we will ensure that PDP carry the day on July 14.”

    Fayose said: “When I  contested in 2014, we won 158 wards out of 177 while APC won 19 wards but in the coming election, if APC gets 10 wards, I will concede the  election to them.

    “I want the other aspirants to be comfortable, the ultimate is to defeat APC  in Ekiti and Nigeria. In a matter like this, there will be many interests.

    “I am for Olusola but whoever that wins the primary, I will stand by that person. The worst PDP man is better than the best of APC.

    “I won’t behave like the mother of the biblical twins who killed her own child. If the other aspirants are not comfortable with my coming to the primary, I will stay in my house, I won’t come.

    “If you lose and the process is transparent, you should support the party. If the process is transparent and you lose, remain in the party. I will not renege on my words.”

  • It’s lawless, says Secondus

    National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus described the invasion of the Senate as the height of lawlessness and an indication of insecurity.

    Secondus who spoke with reporters in Akure, the Ondo State capital yesterday,  said  it would take team work and collaborative efforts of politicians to put back the nation on the right track.

    He said: “The country is totally broken. The APC government is totally broken, insecurity all over the country, people are dying on a daily basis and this country needs to be rescued. I am optimistic that all the forces are for the interest of the nation.”

    On the alliance of politicians to form a coalition,,Secondus said the development should be seen as a right step towards saving the country from further destruction.

  • $2.1b arms cash: I never collected any money from anywhere, says Secondus

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus yesterday 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 Peoples 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 Alh. 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.”