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Tag: Secondus

  • PDP’s crisis deepens as NWC, governors differ over Secondus

    PDP’s crisis deepens as NWC, governors differ over Secondus

    THE National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has shunned a directive by the party’s governors asking the Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, to hand over to the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo.

    The governors, in a communique at the end of a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, ordered Secondus to hand over to Oladipo, pending the emergence of a substantive chairman from the Northeast.

    The governors, in the communiqué read by Ondo State Olusegun Mimiko, frowned at the refusal of Secondus to respect the judgment of an Abuja High Court, ordering him to vacate the office for a member from the Northeast.

    “We take cognisance of the judgment by the court in Abuja, which ordered the acting chairman to vacate office for any other person from the Northeast.

    “Our party constitution has enough provisions for that and the necessary process has been put in motion,” the communique said.

    The governors flayed Gulak’s invasion of the party secretariat, where he declared himself national chairman without recourse to the appropriate organs of the party.

    “The invasion of the party headquarters by Ahmed Ali Gulak, who reportedly assumed the chairmanship of the PDP, is regrettable and condemnable,” Mimiko said.

    According to the governors, the issue of the chairmanship of the party would soon be resolved to enable someone from the Northeast complete the tenure of the last National Chairman, Adamu Muazu, who resigned in May 2015.

    “The appropriate organs of the party will meet soonest to elect a national chairman of the party from the appropriate zone,” he said.

    But a statement yesterday signed by PDP’s National Legal Adviser, Mr. Victor Kwom, insisted that Secondus remained the acting chairman.

    The statement said: “The NWC of the PDP wishes to assure members of the party nationwide that there has not been any change in the leadership of the party at the national level.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the statutory organs of the party, the NWC, National Caucus, BoT and NEC will be meeting next week to deliberate on developments, including the replacement, from the Northeast of Alhaji Adamu Muazu, who resigned as the national chairman of the party.”

    The statement added that the replacement would be in strict adherence to the party’s constitution, as specified in Section 47(6).

    “Until then, the status quo remains, which means the Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, remains as the acting national chairman.

    “Furthermore, it must be reiterated that relevant stakeholders of our party, including the PDP Governor’s Forum, National Caucus and the Board of Trustees (BoT) as well as our leadership structures at all levels are united behind the National Working Committee in the efforts to rebuild, reposition and strengthen our party for the challenges ahead”.

    The statement further stated the resolve of the leadership to remain focused and not be distracted by the “unpatriotic actions” of Gulak.

  • Apex court’s verdicts on Rivers, Ebonyi excite Secondus, PDP governors

    Apex court’s verdicts on Rivers, Ebonyi excite Secondus, PDP governors

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the affirmation by the Supreme Court of the elections of Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) has rekindled hope in the nation’s democracy.

     The party also said the verdicts underscored the strategic importance of an impartial judiciary for the survival of democracy in the country.

     In a statement yesterday by the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, the party hailed the maturity, responsiveness and patriotism displayed by the apex court.

     “The Supreme Court in arriving at its judgments, which have resounded among the people not only for being in consonant with their wishes and aspiration as expressed at the elections, but also for reviving their already dwindling confidence in the democratic process and the Nigerian project”, the statement added.

     The party said the judgments have affirmed not only the popularity of the two governors but also that of the PDP in the two states and other states of the Southsouth and South-east.

     “We note that despite the temporary setback of the 2015 presidential elections, the PDP remains the only party with genuine national interest and capacity to deliver a stable and united country.

     “We urge our governors, legislators as well as other PDP elected and appointed office holders across the country to redouble their efforts in providing purposeful leadership with innovations for wealth creation in the face of daunting economic challenges in line with the ideology and visions of PDP’s founding fathers.

     “This is especially as others whose political platforms offer no ideological base and clear-cut direction for governance are now resorting to blame games and defeatism, which serves no purpose or offer any hope for the people”, the statement added.

    PDP Governors Forum on Wednesday night hailed the validation of Umahi’s and Wike’s elections.

    The PDP governors said, after their caucus meeting in Abuja, that the two judgments amounted to victory for democracy. They praised Umahi and Wike, saying with their legal battles over, they would be better positioned to deliver democracy dividends to their people.

    Ondo State Governor and Chairman of the forum, Olusegun Mimiko read a communiqué after the meeting.

    Umahi welcomed the apex court’s judgment as the handiwork of God.

    He said: “It is God that is at work. God gave us a divine mandate and He has, through the Supreme Court, made the path smooth for us to actualise the mandate; the mandate of providing the dividends of democracy to our people and making our state one of the best in this country.”

  • We didn’t ask Jonathan to speak on arms scam – PDP

    We didn’t ask Jonathan to speak on arms scam – PDP

    The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has denied that the party asked former President Goodluck Jonathan to open up on the $2.1 billion arms scandal.

    At least 12 prominent PDP chieftains, including a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki are standing trial for their role in the sharing of the money meant for arms procurement under the Jonathan administration.

    The party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi Jalo, had at a press briefing on Monday, called on the ex-President to respond to the claims by Dasuki that the money was shared on his directives.

    But speaking at the party’s constitution amendment forum in Abuja on Tuesday, Secondus said Jalo spoke for himself and that his views did not represent the position of the PDP leadership.

    “Let me make it clear to you that Jalo was only expressing his personal opinion because his views did not represent the position of the party.

    “There was no time we discussed at the National Executive Committee (NEC) that Jonathan should speak on the arms deal scandal. There was no time such a thing came up at the NEC. So Jalo must be expressing his personal opinion,” Secondus said.

    The chairman decried the continued detention of the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh and other party chieftains by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Metuh allegedly collected N400 million of the arms cash from Dasuki and was also reported to have collected various sums, which added up to N1.4 billion through Destra Investment Limited, a company in which he holds a substantial stake.

    Secondus called on the EFCC to release Metuh immediately, saying his continued detention was against the rule of law and a breach of his fundamental human right.

     

  • Court sacks PDP Acting Chair Secondus

    Court sacks PDP Acting Chair Secondus

    •PDP, party chief: we ’ll appeal  

    Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf of the High Court of the Federal Territory (FCT), Maitama, Abuja yesterday sacked the Acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus.

    The judge, in a judgment in a suit by Ahmed Gulak, a former political adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, held that Secondus was occupying the party’s chairmanship seat illegally.

    Justice Baba-Yusuf noted that Secondus was from Rivers State and not Northeast geopolitical zone to which the PDP zoned the position.

    He gave Secondus 14 days within which to vacate the office and directed that the plaintiff or any other party member worthy of that position should take Secondus’ place.

    Lawyer to the PDP and Secondus, Chuwan IsaiahPaul, said the party would appeal the judgment and seek a stay of its execution to allow the party’s  leadership prepare for its national convention slated for March, next year.

    Justice Baba-Yusuf rejected argument by Secondus and PDP (listed as defendants in the suit) that Gulak lacked the locus standi to initiate the suit, having allegedly defaulted in the payment of party’s due.

    The judge also rejected the defendants’ argument that Gulak failed to explore the party’s internal mechanism for dispute resolution before approaching the court.

    The judge had, on November 30, reserved judgment in the case after entertaining argument from parties.

    Gulak had argued that Secondus was occupying the position illegally.

    He contended that by virtue of the provision of Article 47(6) of the party’s constitution, “the 2nd defendant (Secondus) from Rivers State, cannot replace the immediate past chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, who left office about seven months ago”.

    He faulted the defendants’ claim that the party’s elders were working on a process to ensure a replacement for Muazu by next March.

    Gulak argued that it was unlawful and a breach of the party’s constitutional provisions for Secondus to hold office for over seven months in acting capacity and refuse to allow a member from the geo-political zone, where the last chairman came from, to replace him.

  • Court reserves judgment in Gulak’s suit against PDP, Secondus

    Court reserves judgment in Gulak’s suit against PDP, Secondus

    Justice Hussein Baba of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, Abuja has reserved judgment in the suit brought by Ahmed Gulak, a former Special Adviser on Political Matters to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, against the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Gulak, by the suit, is seeking the sack of the party’s acting chairman, Uche Secondus, on the ground that by the provision of the constitution of the PDP and its zoning principle, he was the proper person to replace the last chairman, Adamu Muazu, who hailed from the Northeast geo-political zone.

    Yesterday, parties argued the plaintiff’s substantive suit (originating summons) and the defendants’ preliminary objection and adopted their final written addresses before the judge told them that hearing notices will be issued when the judgment is ready.

    Gulak, dressed in blue native attire, sat in court all through the proceedings.

    Arguing his client’s case, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) urged the court to uphold Gulak’s prayers and refuse the preliminary objection raised against the suit by the defendants – the PDP and Secondus.

    He argued that Secondus was occupying the position of the PDP chairman illegally, stressing that by virtue of the provision of Article 47(6) of the party’s constitution, “the 2nd defendant (Secondus) from Rivers State, could not replace the immediate past Chairman, Muazu, who left office about seven months ago.

    Okutepa faulted the claim of defendants’ lawyers that the party’s elders were working on a process to ensure a replacement for Muazu by next March.

    He argued that it was unlawful and a breach of the party’s constitutional provisions for Secondus to hold office for over seven months in acting capacity and refuse to allow a member from the geo-political zone, where the last chairman came from, to replace him.

    On the argument by the lawyer to the defendants, Chuwan Isaiah Paul,  that Gulak lacked the locus standi to initiate the suit, having allegedly defaulted in the payment of party’s due, Okutepa, who exhibited receipt of payments made by his client to the PDP, argued that it was wrong to state that his client, who was once lauded by the party, was no longer a member.

    He also faulted Paul’s argument that Gulak failed to explore the party’s internal mechanism for dispute resolution before approaching the court.

    He argued that since his client was challenging the constitution of the party’s leadership, it would be wrong to expect him to approach the same party mechanisms being controlled by the same leaders and expect justice to be done.

    Earlier, while arguing his objection, Paul urged the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that Gulak had purportedly ceased to be the party’s member, having allegedly defaulted in the payment of party’ dues.

    He also argued that the plaintiff could not approach the court, except he had exhausted the party’s internal mechanisms for dispute resolution because the issue in dispute was within the party’s internal affairs.

    In response to the originating summons, Paul urged the court to refuse Gulak’s prayers on the ground that he has failed to show  any part of the party’s constitution, which his clients breached with the retention of Secondus as the party’s acting chairman.

    He cited Article 45(2) of the party’s constitution to support his position that there was no time limit within which an acting chairman could remain in office before a replacement was found for a former chairman within the zoning framework of the party.

     

  • Jonathan’s ex-aide urges court to sack Secondus as PDP chair

    Jonathan’s ex-aide urges court to sack Secondus as PDP chair

    A former political adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Ali Gulak, has urged a Federal High Court , sitting in Abuja to declare the appointment of the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Chief Uche Secondus, unconstitutional.

    Gulak, in an originating summon, prayed the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining Secondus from continuing to act in the Office of the National Chairman of the party or organising or planning any election or carrying out any other functions or duties pertaining to the office.

    Joined as defendants in the suit are the PDP and Secondus as first and second respondents.

    The plaintiff also sought a declaration that by articles 35(1) and 47 (6) of the constitution of the party, read together with Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the continued functioning of Secondus as acting national chairman of the party, when he is not from the Northeast, was a breach of Article 47(6) of the constitution of the party and Section 223 of the 1999 constitution.

    Other reliefs sought by the applicant in the suit filed by his counsel, J.S. Okutepa (SAN), included a declaration that by Article 47(6) of the constitution of the party, the defendants could not hide under Article 45(2) of the constitution of the party to enable the  acting chairman,  who is not from the same area or zone where the immediate past national chairman originated, to continue to lawfully act in the office until elections are held to fill the vacancy; a declaration that by Article 47(6) of the constitution of the party, and upon the resignation of the former national chairman from office, only the plaintiff or any other member of the party from the same area or zone is eligible to fill the vacancy pending the conduct of election into that office.

    In addition, he sought a  declaration that the continued functioning of the second defendant as the acting national chairman of the party, without giving effect to or summoning the National Executive Committee to give effect to Article 47(6) of the constitution of the party was unlawful, illegal and a violation of Article 47(6) of the constitution of the party and Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution.

    In his 13-point statement of claim, the plaintiff argued that sequel to the resignation of the former Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, who is from Bauchi State in the Northeast,  he, having come from same zone with him, indicated his intention to be considered for appointment to fill the vacancy and that in furtherance of that desire, wrote all state chapters of the party in the Northeast notifying them of his intention.

    He also claimed to have made several representations to the defendants expressing his intention to be considered for appointment to the fill the vacant position of national chairman of the first defendant which the defendants ignored.

    The ex-aide contended that the failure or neglect of the second defendant to direct or cause the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the first defendant to give effect to Article 47(6) of the constitution of the party was not only selfish and self-serving, but also a grave violation of the constitution.

    He, therefore, prayed the court to determine “whether upon a calm view and construction of articles 35(1) and 47 (6) of the constitution of the first defendant read together with Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the continued functioning of the  second defendant as acting national chairman of the first  defendant, when the second defendant is not from the Northeast Zone of Nigeria is a breach of Article 47(6) of the constitution of the party and Section 223 of the 1999 constitution and therefore unconstitutional, unlawful and self-serving.

    “That in view of Article 47(6) of the constitution of the first defendant, can the defendants hide under Article 45(2) of the constitution of the party to enable the second defendant, who is not from the same area or zone where the immediate past national chairman of the party originated, to continue to lawfully act in the Office of the National Chairman until elections are held to fill the vacancy.”

  • Secondus to run as PDP national chairman

    Secondus to run as PDP national chairman

    Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, is being tipped to assume the position in a substantive capacity, sources have disclosed. The controversy that ensued over proposed election of a new national chairman of the party following the resignation of Alhaji Adamu Muazu a few months ago, had forced the party leadership to put the exercise on hold, but fresh facts indicate that Secondus is highly favoured by influential stakeholders of the party to run the affairs of the party ahead the 2019 general elections. But that would however not rule out other interested aspirants in the race from the South-West, South-East and South-South from competing for the seat following the zoning of the party’s 2019 presidential ticket to the North.

  • How PDP spent N11b forms proceeds, by Secondus

    How PDP spent N11b forms proceeds, by Secondus

    The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday gave account of how the controversial N12 billion generated by the party during the last general elections was spent.

    The money was the proceeds from sale of nomination and expression of interest forms from various elective office seekers across the federation.

    At a briefing in Abuja, the party’s Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, said the actual amount was not N12 billion but a little over N11b.

    According to him, “10 percent of the money went to the state chapters, five percent to the zonal chapters and another five percent to local government chapters of the party.

    “Another 15 percent was expended on assignments by various party functionaries and the rest was used to fund our campaigns. We raised money and we used the money for elections. We don’t need to go into details”.

    Protesting workers at the party secretariat have been at war with the Secondus-led National Working Committee (NWC) following the alleged embezzlement of the money, which they said was partly responsible for the poor outing of the PDP in the general election.

    The NWC had threatened to sack half of the workers and reduce their pay by 50 per cent, a development that further infuriated the aggrieved workers.

    Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, who led the PDP Senate caucus to the briefing, explained why the party must reduce the secretariat workers.

    Akpabio said: “We can no longer run to the Villa for cash so we don’t have the wherewithal to maintain that large number of secretariat workers.

    “The workers should understand that they are in a master-servant relationship in which you cannot force an unwilling master to keep a recalcitrant servant. We are definitely going to downsize”.

    Akpabio and Secondus complained about what they described as “harassment and intimidation” of the party’s ex-governors and former ministers who served under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

    According to them, the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were singling out ex PDP public office holders for investigation.

    They urged the anti grant and security agencies to prove that only ex-PDP public office holders were corrupt and that those that were elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) were saints.

    “We have been reading in the papers about corrupt practices in Rivers and Lagos State under the control of the APC. But the EFCC has not deemed it fit to invite the immediate past governors of these states,” Secondus said.

    The party leaders also complained about what they termed the arrest and intimidation of electoral officials in Rivers, Akwa Inom and Abia states by the DSS, saying the trend was limited to states under the control of the PDP.

    They cautioned the Federal Government against selective application of the law, saying the process must be seen to be holistic.

  • PDP seeks DSS boss removal over partisanship

    PDP seeks DSS boss removal over partisanship

    The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the removal of the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Alhaji Lawal Daura, over alleged partisanship.

    According to the party, Daura was the chairman of the Intelligence Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the last presidential election campaign.

    Addressing journalists shortly after the party’s National Working Committee meeting on Wednesday, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, accused the DSS under Daura of harassing, arresting and detaining members of the PDP.

    Secondus cited instances of arrest and detention of PDP members and electoral officials in Akwa Ibom and Rivers States where the party’s victories in the last governorship election were being challenged by the APC at the tribunals.

    The party chairman said, “We wish to bring to the attention of Nigerians and the international community the activities of the APC government. We have observed the government of the APC, especially the DSS in the past few months.

    “The DSS has continued to harass, arrest and detain PDP members as well as officials over election petitions pending before tribunals in Akwa Ibom and Rivers States.

    “There is no reason for the harassment because it is against all known laws. We call on President Buhari to call the DSS to order because the nation is gradually tending towards anarchy.

    “Daura was the chairman of APC’s Intelligence Committee during the last presidential election campaign. As a member of the APC, he is partial and partisan. He cannot be fair to the opposition. We call on President Buhari to review his appointment.”

  • Oyo PDP leaders kick against Secondus as acting chair

    Oyo PDP leaders kick against Secondus as acting chair

    Readers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State have kicked against the choice of Uche Secondus as acting national chairman.

    They said “people with questionable character should not be allowed to hold positions within the party”.

    The PDP chiefs called for the re-integration of Senator Rashidi Ladoja, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, Seyi Makinde and others into the umbrella party, if it must return to winning ways.

    These were parts of the recommendations of the party’s chieftains under the aegis of Oyo State PDP Leaders of Like Minds presented to the Emeka Ihedioha-led PDP Post-Election Review sub-committee in Ibadan yesterday.

    Those who signed the nine-page memorandum included Dr Saka Balogun, Senator Ayo Adeseun, Chief Jumoke Akinjide, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi, Professor Taoheed Adedoja, Professor Soji Adejumo, Femi Babalola, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha, Alhaji Bisi Olopoenia and eight others.

    The leaders said the hijack of the party structure and consequent imposition of unpopular candidates with the support of some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) forced Ladoja, Alao-Akala, Makinde and others out of the party and led to its dismal performance in the last elections.

    “The party should imbibe the culture of transparent internal democracy in all its dealings.

    “If we want to regain our lost glory, conscious and concerted efforts should be made to bring back all willing members of Accord, Labour Party and Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    “Since primary election did not actually hold in Oyo State, all the money collected from aspirants should be refunded.

    “The PDP should strictly adhere to its guidelines on how delegates and party executives are to emerge.

    “The party has a structure in place to resolve crisis that might emanate in the party.

    “However, the operators of the structure did not imbibe the spirit of equity, justice and fair play in handling disputes.

    “More often than not, cases were determined in favour of the highest bidders and people with links to the NWC members. The template adopted by the Presidency to harmonise the camps of Musiliu Obanikoro, Bode George and Jimi Agbaje was not replicated in Oyo State,” they said.

    But just as the committee was receiving the memoranda from Lagos, Ekiti and Oyo states, a group of protesters stormed the venue to demand for an all-inclusive party executive in Oyo State.

    Speaking through their leader, Akinwumi Akinfemwa, the protesters, under the aegis of new PDP, called for an all-inclusive PDP in the state to enable the party recover lost ground in 2019.

    They carried placards with inscriptions, such as “No to hijackers and jagbas in Oyo State”; “Oyo PDP is dying”; “Bring back our members in Accord, SDP, and Labour Party.”