Shock, As PDP Faces Tsunami; NWC Collapses; Governors Forum Calls For Calm

By Ayodele Oni

If the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, does not quickly put its house in order, it faces imminent collapse.

It is facing a-2014 situation almost, when a number of its high profile members, including former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Governors, including then Rivers State Governor, and current Minister for Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, as well as some members of the National Assembly, left the party en masse with their thousands of supporters.

That unprecedented exit contributed, in no small measure, to the shock victory of the All Progressives Congress, APC over the Party in the 2015 General elections. It was what brought  then General Muhammadu Buhari into office.

The same situation seem to be repeating itself. It also marked the climax of the internal crisis which has, within a few months, caused the Party three State Governors- those of Ebonyi, Cross River, and Zamfara States

In one fell swoop on Tuesday, August 3, seven members of its National Working Committee, resigned from their offices.

In resigning, they cited the alleged incompetence of the National Chairman of the Party, Prince Uche Secondus  as their reason.

According to the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Diran Odeyemi, one of those who resigned:

“Since our election in 2017, we, the National Officers of the Party, have met with Secondus thrice. It is not as if he called us. On those three occasions  we sought audience with him.

“To him, we are just a necessary evil to be tolerated but never to be catered for. We all have our constituencies and our followers.

“It appears that they see us as nothing but appendages forced on them by the Party’s constitution.”

But the the PDP Governors’ Forum has waded into the gale of resignations

In  a statement, Chairman of the forum, Governor Aminu Tambuwal stated that the body “received with regrets and sadness the recent rumblings in the PDP.

“The Governors hereby call on all members of the party and indeed all stakeholders to remain calm in the face of the developments.

“We plead with all aggrieved persons and those with the interest of the PDP at heart to keep their gun powder dry, as efforts are being made in consultation with members of the PDP Board of Trustees and other stakeholders to resolve all contending issues.

“To this end, the PDP GOVERNORS’ FORUM has scheduled an emergency meeting to discuss the affairs of the Party and the way forward.

“The PDP as the only remaining hope of the nation for good governance must show an example to Nigerians and also take advantage of the current disarray in the APC and its rudderless government.”

The party’s National Organising Secretary, Col. Austin Akobundu (retd), confirmed the resignations.

He, however, said those who resigned were deputies not the substantial heads of the departments. He declined to give further details.

Those who resigned include the deputy national financial secretary, the deputy legal adviser, the deputy national auditor, the deputy national publicity secretary, the deputy women leader and the deputy organising secretary.

In his reaction to the resignations, the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Kola Ologbodiyan was optimistic that the crisis will be resolved.

Ologbodiyan: “The NWC of our party, at its meeting today (yesterday) received the notice of the resignation from deputies who are elected members of the National Executive Committee.

“The party will look into the grievances raised by members of NEC as well as members of the National Working Committee.

“The internal conflict resignation mechanism of our great party has also been immediately activated to put these issues behind us”

Secondus’ leadership of the Party has been put under pressure, especially, since the defections of three Governors and a number of PDP high profile members to the ruling APC. A number of party members has asked for his resignation.

The situation has not been helped by the no-love lost relationship between him and the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike. Incidententally, Wike was instrumental to Secondus becoming the Chairman of the Party. But they have since fallen apart with Secondus as the butt of Wike’s many harsh criticisms. Both men are from the same State.

However, not a few people allege that Wike’s larger than life influence in the Party that is responsible for the crisis. “It is his ambition that is fuelling the crisis. He is a dictator who loves to  lord his opinion on the party”

But it is an allegation  Wike always denies, insisting he has no interest in the Vice Presidential ticket of the Party in 2023. He only wants things done properly, he emphasises.