‘Only NEC can discipline chairman’ — Secondus’ aide hits PDP Rivers ward over suspension

Ike Abonyi, media aide to Uche Secondus, embattled national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has kicked against the suspension of his principal by the executive committee of the party in ward 5, Ikuru, Andoni LGA of Rivers state.

On Tuesday, George Christopher, chairman of the ward, said 11 out of the 17 executive members approved the suspension of Secondus from the ward chapter of the party.

Reacting to the suspension in a statement issued on Thursday, Abonyi said only the national executive committee (NEC) of the party can suspend a national chairman.

“The media office of Prince Uche Secondus ordinarily should not be responding to every ‘noise’ in the media being engineered by those who set out to distract and destroy the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, but it’s our responsibility to guide those who are easily persuaded by news in the media hence this response,” the statement reads.

“Such action is a mere wish as Article 59 (3) of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, constitution states clearly that only the National Executive Committee, NEC of the party can discipline the National Chairman or any other National officer of the party.

“Members of the public and the media should therefore be wary of agents out to distract PDP from the focus of retrieving our beloved country from the irreparable damage already done to it by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Secondus has been under increased pressure to resign as national chairman.

Last week, a high court in Rivers state granted an interim order restraining Secondus from parading himself as the national chairman of the PDP.

But another high court sitting in Kebbi ordered that Secondus retain his position as national chairman of the party.