The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the House of Representatives has asked the National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, to resign from office.
Members of the caucus, in a communique signed by its leader, Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) and Deputy Leader, Chukwuka Onyema (PDP, Enugu), made the call after a virtual meeting on Saturday.
They blamed the recent woes befalling the party on the “bedroom managerial attitude” of Mr Secondus.
The PDP lawmakers also accused Mr Secondus of not carrying party members along, adding that if he was allowed to continue in office in the next three months, the party would be in grave danger.
They asked the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party and the PDP Governors Forum to commence the re-engineering of the party.
The tenure of Mr Secondus and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) will expire in December having been elected for a four-year mandate in December 2018.
According to the communique, the PDP lawmakers “RESOLVED that the PDP House Caucus-
“-Formally asks the BOT and the Governors Forum of the PDP to ensure immediate and firm resolution of current challenges so as to enable a re-engineering, re-focusing process that would restore party members and millions of other Nigerians’ hope and confidence in the PDP as an alternative to the current dysfunctional, irresponsive and rudderless government of APC with its attendant suffering, miseries, political deceit, economic woes, insecurity and all-round disappointment foisted on millions of Nigerian families across the federation, and;
“-Urge the current National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus) to consider making the necessary personal sacrifice worthy of a leader in the party’s current and future interest with a firm assurance of honourable regard and appreciation by the party leadership now and in years to come, by honourably resigning his position as party chairman immediately, to allow the party an early start.”
The lawmakers’ demand is coming less than one week after the PDP Board of Trustees intervened in the leadership crisis rocking the country’s main opposition party.
Leadership crisis
Members of the Board who met last Thursday at the party’s headquarters in Abuja resolved to set up a committee to resolve the internal leadership crisis rocking the party.Former Senate president, David Mark
Former Senate President, David Mark, who briefed journalists on the outcome of the board’s meeting, explained that the board resolved to set up the committee comprising governors, members of the BoT, National Assembly caucus of PDP, the National Working Committee, former governors and former ministers to look into the matter.
Mr Secondus has recently come under fire from members of the PDP who feel dissatisfied with his leadership style.
They blamed him for the gale of defections that hit the party in the recent months.
Three of its governors, namely David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Ben Ayade of Cross River and Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State, defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Similarly, some members of the PDP in the National Assembly also dumped the party for the APC.
A member of the BOT, Joy Emordi, a former senator, also resigned her membership of the party.
The crisis assumed a new dimension last week with the resignation of seven members of the NWC from their positions last week.
Those who resigned are the Deputy National Financial Secretary, Gerald Irona; Deputy National Organising Secretary, Hassan Yakubu; Deputy National Legal Adviser, Ahmed Liman, and Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Diran Odeyemi.
Others are the Deputy National Woman Leader, Hadizat Umoru; Deputy National Auditor, Divine Arong, and another official who could not be immediately identified.
They alleged that they were not carried along by the national chairman in the management of the party.
Read full text of the statement of the PDP lawmakers:
Members of the PDP House of Reps caucus met and deliberated extensively on various aspects of concern being expressed by members of the party across the federation. Specifically, on the current charge of inept leadership against our national Chairman (Prince Uche Secondus) and Honourable members note as follows:
WHEREAS members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and millions of Nigerians nationwide anticipate vigorous and well-coordinated issue-based national opposition; preparations towards a national convention as well as the 2023 general elections, much confusion, finger-pointing and needless noise around the party’s national headquarters have obfuscated the noble objectives and lofty ideals of the PDP and democratic opposition politics in Nigeria.
NOTES that to many, the National Chairman seems much more contented with occupying the office and therefore preoccupied with holding onto his position rather than preparing for next elections; this explains for his inexplicably missing endless opportunities that ought to have been utilized for consolidating a viable opposition; skewing party congresses to favour personal future ambition and frustrating genuine party members across states which has resulted in mass exit of party members at the National Assembly.
FURTHER NOTES that there is no clear road map, blueprint or policy programme for the PDP by the Chairman, thus the party is allowed to flow with the tide, only showing up with weak press releases once in a while without commensurate sustainable action.
NOTES TOO that the lax and bedroom managerial attitude of the Chairman who runs the party from his home and only surfaces in the party office for meetings, coupled with several promises without commensurate action has led to inept management of complaints, despondency amongst members and consequently an exodus of members of the party at all levels, including a member of the Board of Trustee of the party.
ALSO NOTE that whilst these misfortunes befell the party and concerned party members are busy trying to stem the tide, the party Chairman has carried on as if all is well and does not appear to see the caldron awaiting the party if it continues on that trajectory.
EXPRESS concern that while the PDP National Chairman, Chief Uche Secondus contributed notably to the party in the past, cogent accusations currently being levelled against his leadership far transcend personal issues as there is an established consistent and persistent pattern of inadequate consultations, even with members of the PDP House Caucus, thereby giving rise to hitherto unspoken feelings of intra-party alienation in several quarters including in his NWC. Such has manifested into, or encouraged or fueled the exit of many prominent and highly-experienced party members with many more at the brink of leaving, if nothing is done fast.
FURTHER concerned that a further three months under the ruler-ship of the Chairman will do grave injustice to the party and put us in a precarious situation as every hour should matter now.
RESOLVED that the PDP House Caucus:
1. Formally asks the BOT and the Governors Forum of the PDP to ensure immediate and firm resolution of current challenges so as to enable a re-engineering, re-focusing process that would restore party members and millions of other Nigerians’ hope and confidence in the PDP as an alternative to the current dysfunctional, irresponsive and rudderless government of APC with its attendant suffering, miseries, political deceit, economic woes, insecurity and all-round disappointment foisted on on millions of Nigerian families across the federation, and;
2. Urge the current National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus) to consider making the necessary personal sacrifice worthy of a leader in the party’s current and future interest with a firm assurance of honourable regard and appreciation by the party leadership now and in years to come, by honourably resigning his position as party chairman immediately, to allow the party an early start.
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