PDP crisis: Secondus says ‘strong chieftain bent on hijacking party structure’

Uche Secondus, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says a “strong chieftain” is behind the crisis affecting the party’s leadership. 

The PDP is embroiled in an internal crisis, which has resulted in some major stakeholders dumping the opposition party.

TheCable had reported how seven deputy national officers of the party resigned on Tuesday in protest against what they called “poor leadership”.

The national officers had alleged that there is a lack of financial transparency in the party’s leadership.

TheCable also reported on Wednesday that some members of the PDP national working committee (NWC) had threatened to resign if the leadership crisis isn’t resolved soon.

Meanwhile, the PDP leadership says it has activated an “internal conflict resolution mechanism” to reconcile aggrieved members of the party.

Speaking on the recent development in a statement issued on Wednesday by Ike Abonyi, his special adviser on media, Secondus alleged that the “strong chieftain” is bent on hijacking the party structure for “his disproportionately large ambition”.

“The media office of the National Chairman is privy to intelligence that the strong party chieftain bent on hijacking the party structure for destruction is still on the loose with the main agenda of denting the image of Prince Uche Secondus, the National Chairman,” the statement reads.

“Reports reaching this office shows clearly that this character is deploying all devious means to try and diminish the person and character of the National Chairman with a view to having his way of ultimately hijacking the structure for his disproportionately large ambition.

“We, therefore, wish to alert the general public particularly media houses and party stakeholders to look out for strange deployment of luring gifts from this destructive ‘Father Christmas’ all aimed at having a grip on the soul of our party by having a caretaker committee.

“What continues to shock many party observers is the real reason behind the desperation of this man to get at the National Chairman and the quantum of public funds being expended to achieve this illicit goal a few months to the National Convention.

“Few months to National Convention, anybody who means well for this party and who is a true democrat, should respect the constitution of the party and approach issues dispassionately.

“Prince Secondus through the media office however wishes to assure all critical stakeholders of our great party that every reasonable step is being taken to ensure that the image and status of the party are not injured by all these needless noise and scheming by desperadoes.”