…As PDP Elects New NWC On Basis Of Consensus
The suspended National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has stated his intention to appeal the verdict after failing to block the PDP’s national convention at the Appeal Court in Port Harcourt.
Secondus, who said he had just received notice of the Court of Appeal’s decision dismissing his plea to suspend the party’s National Convention, added that he respected the court’s decision even though he disagreed with it completely.
Secondus said in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Ike Abonyi, that “even though the substantive case is still pending at the Court of Appeal, I have instructed my lawyers to study the ruling with a view to appealing it immediately as no abuse of our dear party’s constitution should be allowed to stand.”
“The issue is not about Prince Uche Secondus but about the sanctity of our party constitution and core democratic principles of justice and rule of law not only in PDP but in our democracy. No impunity must be condoned.
“I will therefore wish to emphasis the fact that I did not take the party to court and would not have done that.
“As a foundation member of this party who has served at various levels, State Chairman, Chairman of state Chairmen, National Organizing Secretary, Deputy National Chairman, Acting National Chairman and now National Chairman, am very much abreast with the workings of the party. I have been a witness to how much harm litigations have done to our party in the past and as a result I have been a strong advocate against settling issues in courts.
“This was why I resisted and rejected entreaties of those who wanted me to go to court to halt these forces when it was obvious that they were determined to disrupt my leadership and truncate my tenure in office with the sole objective of hijacking the party for their selfish ulterior motives.
“To allow this travesty to stand is to reduce our beloved party to a level where anybody can wake up over night and remove officers against the proscribed constitutional process and the National Chairman for that matter. And purporting to use the judiciary through an experte order to legitimize same.
“As a major practitioner in our democracy, I am duty bound to protect and defend the sanctity of the provisions of our constitution of which am the custodian.
“I wish to therefore at this juncture thank and appreciate leaders and other stakeholders of our party who have called in to express their concerns on this matter and appeal for the understanding of all.
“If those who orchestrated and fostered this avoidable crisis had listened to wise counsel of party leaders and elders who advised the withdrawal of cases, this situation would have been avoidable. I wish the party well as always.”
Meanwhile, the party, which was in joyous mood when it was announced that it won the Appeal Court case, will on Saturday elected members of the new National Working Committee (NWC) on consensus.
The only positions the 3600 delegates will elect On Saturday that are not on consensus are, Deputy National Chairman (South), Auditor and Youth Leader, while others will be affirmed on consensus.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Friday, the Chairman of Convention National Committee and governor of Adamawa state, Ahmadu Fintiri said, “as you can see, all the subcommittees have been mobilized and they’re fully prepared to deliver by tomorrow, most of the activities have all been completed and we’re fully satisfied.
“All the positions being contesting for are fully occupied. The result of the screening committee was submitted to me yesterday and all the positions and individuals that were disqualified, was further uphold by the Appeal Committee.
“At the moment, we’re making efforts to reconcile most of our contestants so that we can streamline them to have a better Convention, which will be hitch free and deepened our chances for 2023. Most of the positions as at today, except for three will not be contested.
“At the moment we are talking to those that are contesting for the Office of the Deputy National Chairman (South) and the those that are contesting for Office of the Auditor, and those that are contesting for Office of the Youth Leader.
“I think at the moment these are just the offices that still have many people contesting for them. The rest have been streamlined and the consensus looks like okay.
“We will be expecting 3600 delegates tomorrow. This is exactIy what I told you that I’ll be updating you because we’re still packaging the list of delegates.”
