PDP: Finally, Secondus’ Chairmanship Ends

By Akinwale Kasali

Iyorchia Ayu, former Senate President has emerged as the new National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, formally bringing an end to the reign of Prince Uche Secondus.

Secondus was suspended from office by three Court Rulings. His problem began when he fell out with his State Governor, Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who had facilitated his occupation of the office.

Secondus bid to stop the PDP’s National Convention was thrown out on Friday by the Court of Appeal Port Harcourt Division, thus paving the way for the election of new National officers that will run the party.

Ayu, a consensus candidate for the position, took over the leadership of the main opposition party alongside 20 others elected into various positions within the PDP National Working Committee.

The PDP National Convention which began on Saturday lasted till the early morning of Sunday.

Hundreds of party delegates participated in the election of the new national officers at the Eagle Square in Abuja.

Ayu is a former Nigerian Senator who was elected President of the Senate during the Nigerian Third Republic (1992–1993).He later served in various Ministerial positions in the Cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007.

After falling out with Obasanjo, Ayu left the PDP and joined the Action Congress (AC).

He was head of the campaign to elect Vice President Atiku Abubakar as President on the AC platform in April 2007.

Ayu was born in Gboko in Benue State. He taught sociology in the University of Jos, including courses on the art and science of Marxism, and was the Chairman of the Jos University chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

After entering politics, he was influential among the majority Tiv people in his home state of Benue.[citation needed]He was elected Senator in the Third Republic on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and became Senate President.

In November 1993, the senate impeached Ayu, who was a strong opponent of the Interim National Government established after the elected president Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola had been prevented from taking office.

However, he later became the Minister for Education in General Sani Abacha’s Military Government.

All things being equal, he is expected to up office as the PDP National Chairman in December when the tenure of Secondus, whose substantive suit is still in Court would have officially ended.edly raped by a middle aged man, Soji Bakare, popularly known as SOJ, has cried for Justice.

The State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of the suspect, but the mother of the victim, Mrs Yinka Babalola pleaded that the suspect should be made to face the wrath of law.

It was learnt that SOJ assaulted the minor at her parents’ house at the weekend at Aiyeyemi street, Isolo area of Akure, when her mother was at the nearby market selling soup ingredients.

The suspect, who is living at Edo lodge area of Oke Ijebu Akure, is reported to be a regular visitor at Isolo to see her wife hawking around the area.

Mrs Babalola explained that the suspect was caught in the act and he had been apprehended by men of the A Division police station, Akure.

She stated that the child has been taken to the hospital by the Police for medical treatment and examination.

The woman, who said her husband travelled out of Akure, appealed to the Police authorities, the Ondo State Government and civil society organizations to come to her aid so that the suspect, would be brought to book for allegedly raping her child.

Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations officer, PPRO, Mrs Funmi Odunlami, said the suspect has been detained, saying the case would be transferred to the state CID for further investigation.

The Police spokesperson noted that SOJ would be charged to court immediately because of the gravity of the offence.