Convention: Anxiety Grips PDP Over Secondus’ Fate

…As Oyinlola faces rivalry from S/West PDP chieftains

The lack of the assorted organs of the Peoples Democratic Social gathering, PDP, to dealer truce between suspended nationwide chairman of the occasion, Prince Uche Secondus and the Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike is casting doubt over the potential of holding the nationwide election conference of the occasion subsequent month, Vanguard gathered on Monday.

Whereas he has up to now stayed away from the occasion’s nationwide secretariat in obedience to a Cross River state Excessive Court docket’s ruling affirming his earlier ouster by the Rivers state Excessive Court docket; Secondus is patiently awaiting the dedication of his prayers by the Enchantment Court docket to find out his subsequent transfer.

A nationwide officer of the occasion who spoke with Vanguard in confidence mentioned until the appellate court docket guidelines in favour of the occasion, Secondus could drag PDP into one other spherical of controversies significantly in reference to the dateline of the elective conference.

He mentioned, “It (disaster) shouldn’t be but over as a result of nobody is aware of what the court docket would say. Secondus would have presided over the 93rd NEC assembly if the court docket had granted his prayers. That didn’t occur. However ought to the court docket guidelines in his favour, he’ll most actually reverse among the choices already taken by the Yemi Akinwonmi-led Nationwide Working Committee. Particularly, he’s prone to shift the conference date to December.”

It could be recalled that the embattled chairman lately approached the Abuja division of the Enchantment Court docket, praying it to quash two Excessive Court docket orders restraining him from parading himself because the chairman of the PDP. Secondus had additionally urged the appellate court docket to declare that his tenure ends in December, 2021, following the ratification of the elective conference earlier slated for December to October 31, 2021 by the 93rd Nationwide Government Committee, NEC assembly.

In accordance with him, the one hope the occasion has in the mean time is for each events to withdraw their fits however with Wike insisting that he doesn’t belief Secondus to honour his pledge of not looking for re-election regardless of agreeing to withdraw his swimsuit; the occasion presently finds itself at a crossroad.

He continued: “Secondus is now out to play the spoiler. He is aware of he’s out however with a ghost of probability to bounce again. His destiny now lies with the attraction court docket however like I mentioned earlier, it might have paid the occasion if all fits are withdrawn.”

He additionally famous that although it might now be tough for Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Samuel Ortom to maintain their help for Secondus given their latest appointments as chairman and deputy chairman of the zoning committee respectively, “a number of governors who usually are not very snug with the management type of Governor Wike are urging Secondus to go the entire distance, assuring him that he has an opportunity to remain in workplace till December,” he added.

In the meantime, Vanguard gathered that although the zoning committee is “tipping the South” for the workplace of the nationwide chairman, it’s not going to micro zone as it’s being speculated by many.

A highly-placed supply advised Vanguard that it might be left for the three geo-political zones within the South to agree on which of the zones ought to get the plum workplace; at the same time as he added that the South-West “could get the nod over the opposite two.”

In accordance with him, Governors Nyesom Wike and Seyi Makinde of Rivers and Oyo states respectively are backing former Osun state governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola for the chairmanship, noting nevertheless that ought to the occasion settles for the South-West, “some leaders from the zone will contest the ticket with Oyinlola,” stressing that the previous governor has two issues going towards him.

“Oyinlola’s closeness to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Common Ibrahim Babangida (retd) doesn’t sit effectively with some leaders of the occasion. He’s seen as a continual loyalist of those retired Military Generals and it’s being felt in some quarters that these males (Obasanjo and Babangida) will actually decide the course of the occasion ought to Oyinlola turns into the PDP chairman.

“The second issue prone to depend towards him is the truth that he returned to the PDP not way back. He was instrumental to the victory of Buhari (Muhammadu) and solely returned when it turned clear that the All Progressives Congress, APC, didn’t give him what he wished.

“An excellent variety of occasion chieftains made up of former governors, ex-Ministers, and erstwhile Nationwide Meeting members are insisting that loyalty to the occasion must be rewarded. That is the state of affairs of issues however let’s not pre-empt the zoning committee,” he added.

Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, hitherto nationwide vice chairman (South) of the occasion has since taken over the administration of PDP affairs as appearing nationwide chairman in obedience to Part 45 of the PDP structure.