Mass resignation hits PDP leadership as crisis deepens

Seven deputy national officers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have resigned in protest against what they called “poor leadership”, TheCable can report.

They promised to remain loyal to the PDP but said they will not be able to work with the current national working committee (NWC), an insider told TheCable.

Those who resigned include the deputy national financial secretary, the deputy legal adviser, the deputy national auditor, the deputy national publicity secretary, the deputy women leader and the deputy organising secretary.

TheCable could not confirm the seventh officer.

They particularly alleged that there is a lack of financial transparency in the leadership, TheCable learnt.

A member of the NWC confirmed the resignation to TheCable but said a statement would be issued after an emergency meeting.

The latest development comes amid the defection of major stakeholders in the party over the past months.

In November 2020, David Umahi, governor of Ebonyi, confirmed his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that his decision was “a protest to the injustice being done to South East by the PDP since 1998 till date”.

Umahi’s defection was followed by that of Ben Ayade and Bello Matawalle, governors of Cross River and Zamfara, respectively, in May and June 2021, respectively.

While Ayade had said his decision to decamp is because “it is my responsibility to bring back Cross River to the centre in order to enhance her fortunes”, Matawalle had based his decision on the need to “bring peace to Zamfara”.

The PDP also lost seven members of the house of representatives to the APC within a period of two weeks, between June and July 2021.

Meanwhile, despite concerns raised by major stakeholders of the party — including Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers — calling for a review of the current leadership structure, the national working committee recently passed a vote of confidence on Uche Secondus, PDP national chairman.