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Akinwonmi suspends NWC meeting
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Sen. Nazif calls for NEC meeting Friday
By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Tuesday assumed a new dimension with the two Deputy National Chairmen of the party laying claim to the acting national Chairman of the party.
The development was sequel to the Tuesday’s order of a High Court of Rivers State, which issued an interim injunction restraining Prince Uche Secondus from parading himself as the national chairman and member of the PDP.
Following the restraining order, the Deputy National Chairman (South), Elder Yemi Akinwonmi and The Deputy National Chairman (South) Senator Suleiman Nazif are both laying claim to the position of the Acting Chairman of the main opposition party in the country.
Despite the provisions of Section 35 of PDP the constitution which allowed Akinwonmi to take over from the embattled Chairman, Senator Nazif claimed yesterday that the Deputy National Chairman (South) is incapacitated, had not attended NWC meeting in the last 10 months and as such cannot act in that capacity.
Find details shortly…
In a statement on Tuesday morning, Akinwonmi, who cited Section 35 (b) of the PDP Constitution to back his action, suspended the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting of the party scheduled to hold yesterdayay (Tuesday).
He said “Section 35(3) (b) of the constitution of the People’s Democratic Party empowers me to summon and preside over party meetings in the absence of the national chairman.
“Our attention was drawn yesterday evening to a court order which purports to restrain our National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus from summoning and presiding over the meetings of the organs of the party.
“In the foregoing circumstances, as Deputy National Chairman (South) of the People’s Democratic Party, after the consultations and in exercise of the aforesaid powers, hereby deem it fit and prosper to postpone the National Working Committee meeting earlier scheduled for today until further notice to allow for broader consultations in the overall interest of our party”.
However, in a counter development, Senator Nazif Suleiman (PDP Deputy National Chairman, North) convened an emergency meeting of some factions of the NWC at the party’s secretariat, claiming that he is the rightful person for the position of the Acting Chairman.
Suleiman pointed out that Elder Akinwonmi is incapacitated and has not attended NWC meeting in the last ten months.
Addressing a meeting of a faction of the NWC yesterday, he said, “Members of the NWC, we will recall that this morning (Tuesday) we are in possession of a valid court order, from a high court in Degema, Rivers State, issuing an order removing Secondus as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as well as National Chairman of our great party.
“A court has also ordered that from the 23rd of August 2021, Prince Uche Secondus should stop parading himself as a National Chairman. NWC hereby comply fully with the court order.
“Consequently, the NWC hereby call for an emergency NEC meeting on Friday, 27th August 2021, at 10 am prompt to deliberate on matters affecting the party.
“You are all aware that PDP is a law abiding party, the party that follows due process. So we have received this order and this is it.
“And in line with the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party, and I quote “functions of a Deputy National Chairman: there shall be two Deputy National Chairmen, one shall come from the northern part, while the other from the southern part of the country.
“Deputy National Chairman shall perform the following functions: assist the national chairman in the discharge of his duty and perform such other functions as may be assigned them.
“As a result of resignation, removal, death, incapacitation or absence of the national chairman, a Deputy National Chairman from the region, part of the country where the national chairman originates from, shall assume office as the National Chairman in acting capacity without prejudice to section 47 (6) of the party Constitution.
“In the absence of the National Chairman and the Deputy National Chairman from the regional part of the country where the National chairman originates from, the other Deputy National Chairman shall act as National Chairman without prejudice to 47 (6) of this Constitution.
“On this note, distinguish NWC members, I hereby take full charge of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Chairman in an acting capacity.
“We have waited this morning for the Deputy National Chairman (south), who has been incapacitated, who has not been attending NWC meeting in the last 9 months and I believe there was a communication between the Deputy National Chairman (south). Like you know, in the absence of the Deputy Chairman South, I take full charge.
“So, I am hereby calling for an emergency NEC meeting on the 27th August, 2021, 10 am prompt to deliberate.
“And I believe all the leaders of this party, the owners of this party, will be in attendance and our governors, former presiding officers will be part of the NEC meeting to deliberate all pending issues”, he said .
When asked if there was a faction in the NWC he replied, “Let me make this very clear that this meeting was called for 2pm and like I said, the Deputy National Chairman south has been incapacitated and did not attend any meeting in the last 9 to 10 months. As far as the NWC is concerned, he has not been in communication with any member of the NWC for the last 10 months. And like I said, this party must continue its process.
“And if I am not available, someone else will take over. If National Chairman is not available someone will take over, if Deputy National Chairman South is not available, the Deputy Chairman North will take charge.
“This is the resolution that was passed by the expanded caucus. And this was the resolution passed by the NWC in our last meeting and we all agreed that there will be a meeting today (yesterday), meeting that was supposed to be presided over by the National Chairman, unfortunately the court order came from a competent court and stop the chairman from acting as chairman of the party”, he said.
Barely few hours after the departure of Nazif from the national secretariat of the PDP, Elder Akinwonmi arrived the Wadata Plaza, national secretariat of the PDP.
Accompanied by the 2019 governorship candidate of the party in Ogun state, Ladi Adebutu, Akinwonmi said providence has bestowed on him the leadership of the party.
While declaring that there is no victor, no vanquish,. Akinwonmi called on party faithful to join hands with him in piloting the affairs of the party.
His words, “I am a man of peace, not a man of crisis. PDP has a good succession order. There is order here. “The chairman is followed by the deputy national chairman one (South), followed by the deputy national chairman two (north),” he said.
While making reference to the meeting earlier presided over by deputy national chairman (North) of the party, Senator Sulaiman Nazif, Elder Akinwonmi said, “everything conducted while I was not here is null and void. At the appropriate time, we will call for a meeting of National Executive Committee, NEC and the Board of Trustees, BoT”.
He added that he played no part in the fate that befell Secondus.
When told that Nazif had, in his absence, described him as incapacitated, Akinwonmi pointed out that “Sickness is not a friend of anybody. I was on my way to Wadata Plaza when I had stroke in my car. I was at the Cidacrest hospital for three months. Anybody can be sick but I am getting back and better.
“It was not my making to be sick. In the past, I could not stand up but I stoop up singing the national anthem here this afternoon.
“It is wrong for people to start making reference to my ill health. Anybody can be sick but I am getting better now,” he said.
Also speaking, national secretary of the party, Ibrahim Tsauri said no faction exist in the NWC, adding that Nazif only presided over the meeting of the working committee earlier because Akinwonmi was not present at the time.
Tsauri said, “NWC was one under Secondus and there was no division. We are here to adopt the doctrine of necessity. PDP is a law abiding party, with people of integrity and respect. “PDP is the only political party in Nigeria today. We never changed our name, we never changed our logo.
“Yesterday (Monday), we were faced with something very challenging, which we never expected. We have no other option but to accept the order of the court.
“There are people that took this matter to court. We have given the judgement to our lawyers to study,” he stated.
