PDP disown press release on Secondus’ resignation

…I will not resign – Secondus

BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA

The main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party has disowned the press release which claimed that six out of nine National Working Commitee members of the party on Sunday voted for the resignation of the embattled Chairman, Uche Secondus.

In a counter press release signed by a member of the NWC, Emmanuel Enoidem, which was made available to The Point, the PDP condemned in strong terms the falsehood being spread by some individuals, which they described as capable of causing more cracks in the party.

He said, “I just saw the above somewhere and as a committed member of this party and by the special grace of God a member of NWC I have the following points to make. 

“By Section 29(3) of the constitution of our party, it is the national chairman or a summon backed by 2/3 members of the NWC that can validly convene a meeting of the NWC. Subsection (4) provides for 2/3 members of NWC to form a quorum for a meeting of the NWC.  

“As a bona fide member of the NWC, to the best of my knowledge I’m not aware of any meeting of NWC summoned by the National chairman or in the manner provided aforesaid.”

Enoidem added that it was therefore of grave concern, and indeed, very sad to read the position purportedly taken by some distinguished members of NWC in utter disdain and violation of clear extant provisions of the constitution.

“The issue of resignation of any officer of our party at any level is a personal decision as stipulated in Sections 45(1) & 47 (5). There is no provision of our constitution which donates powers to any organ, individuals or group of persons to ask an officer of the party to resign for any reason whatsoever as was purported in the so called press release. 

“The powers to remove any member of the NWC and indeed any national officer is reserved in the national convention which is due for December 2021. 

“The said press release is an unfortunate assault and blatant violation of the provisions of our constitution and so it is illegal and unconstitutional. 

“This is more so when the purported meeting was said to have been convened on Sunday August 8, 2021 against the widely published position taken by the BOT advising members and leaders of our party to the maintain peace until a committee set up has deliberated on the raging controversies. 

“This bad press caused the party at this critical time is most uncalled for, needless and wanton and must be discontinued if we are mindful of the interest of the party.”

Earlier, some members of the NWC circulated a press release claiming that they voted for the resignation of the chairman.

The release read in part, “Sequel to the meeting held on the 3rd of August 2021 at legacy house where members of the National working committee (NWC) sat and decided that a meeting of the National working committee (NWC) should be held on the 8th of August 2021 at Hilton to further deliberate on the matter bedeviling the party, the meeting held and extensively deliberated, 9 members of the National working committee (NWC)  agreed that the National chairman Prince Uche Secondus has grossly mismanaged the party , highly incompetent, factionalised the party and has lost the confidence of members of the party.

“The matter of his resignation was put to vote , 6 members voted that he should resign and 3 members abstained from voting, therefore the meeting resolved to forward the resolution taken on the 8th day of August to the governors forum, the BOT, the national assembly caucus of both house of reps and the senate.

We call on all members of the party to remain calm as the party leadership is working tirelessly to resolve the leadership crisis.

In another development, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has said that he will not resign his position.

Prince Secondus said in a short statement from his media office that nothing so far warrants his resignation from the party position and those tiny minority calling for his resignation should come clean and tell party members across the country his offense why he should resign.

He said he would remain focussed and committed to the ideals of the party which he swore to protect and defend upon his election to lead this great party 44 months ago.