By Adesina Soyooye
The brewing spat between the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, and the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, boiled over a few days ago when Wike, publicly, called Secondus a liar. Wike, also, dismissed him as ineffective and incompetent.
The Governor spoke at the 60th birthday celebration of former Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke.
Wike held the Chairman responsible for the run on the party.
Incidentally, both men are from the same State, Rivers, and Wike was, to a large extent, responsible for the emergence of Secondus as the National Chairman of the PDP.
The public criticism of the Chairman by Wike shocked not a few people.
Reacting to it, a chieftain of the party, Dr Doyin Okupe, slammed the Governor. saying his public criticism of Secondus was irresponsible and immature, and unacceptable. Okupe was of the view that it was capable of bringing the party as well as Secondus to public ridicule. If Wike felt that Secondus had not done well, Okupe submitted, he should have criticised him at a National Working Committee meeting, not publicly.
On Tuesday, the Chairman reacted through his media office, taking an exception to being called a liar.
In a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Ike Abonyi, Secondus said the Wike provocation notwithstanding, he would never take on issues with any PDP leader.
Following is the full text of Secondus’ response.
“The media office of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has been inundated with calls and inquiries on the outburst of the Rivers State Governor, Bar. Neysom Wike, against the person and image of the National Chairman.
“Our response is that no amount of provocation will make the National Chairman join issues with any leader of the party talk less a state Governor. To do that is to remove the toga of a leader of the party.
“The impact of such response from National Chairman on the party will be worse than silence.
“The National Chairman considers whatever negative outburst against him from any quarter as one of the punches a leader must receive and endure to get stronger especially when truth is unhidden that Secondus is not a liar.”
