National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, has stated that the party has graduated from an opposition party in 2015 to a ruling party in waiting in 2019.
Secondus said this in an address at the opening of the PDP 2018 Special National Convention which he also declared open on Friday in Port Harcourt.
The chairman, who expressed pleasure in welcoming members from all over Nigeria to Port Harcourt, said that the subject of this year’s national convention was: “Nigerians Take Back Your Country’’.
The party boss also boasted that “today PDP is now in control of the leadership of the National Assembly, adding that “the convention is a crucial stage in PDP’s “ unstoppable march to regain power’’.
He said that the selection of aspirants for the convention was done through Indirect Primaries, adding that the convention would be orderly, fair and transparent.
Secondus said the party was determined to organise a convention that would remain a reference point for other parties
He also recalled that the party gathered in Jos, Plateau, about 20 years ago for a similar convention to herald a new democracy in Nigeria.
Secondus said the party started the Contributory Pension Scheme and reformed the Electoral Process, among others.
Secondus, who said the party members had “Indeed learnt our lessons’’, added that the PDP had “graduated from an opposition party in 2015 to a ruling party in waiting’’ in 2019.
He also assured that the party would Nigeria’s unity, secure Nigerians, educate our youths, reduce poverty, return Nigeria to the path of economic growth and run an inclusive government if it wins the presidential poll in 2019.
Tag: Secondus
-
PDP convention: We will become ruling party come 2019 – Secondus
-
Secondus appoints former minister as Special Adviser on Strategy and External Engagements
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, has appointed former Minister of Aviation and former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Osita Chidoka, as his Special Adviser on Strategy and External Engagements.
A statement issued by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Friday in Abuja, said that the appointment was with immediate effect.
“Chidoka, who is reputed for his ingenuity and organisational skills in public office, is expected to bring to bear his analytical expertise and wealth of experience in political strategy development, coordination and implementation, as the PDP sets for the 2019 general elections,” he said.
-
PDP chairman, Uche Secondus asks UK to expel Buhari
National Chairman of Nigeria’s major opposition party, People’s Democratic Party, Uche Secondus has called on the United Kingdom to expel President Muhammadu Buhari from her country.
The Chairman alleged that Buhari, who is currently in London on vacation, planned the Tuesday morning National Assembly siege from there.
The National Assembly was sieged by masked operatives of the Department for State Services, preventing lawmakers from entering the assembly complex.
Secondus noted in a statement that the President left the country to UK for 10 days medical leave to enable the “nefarious activities they lined out against democracy be executed in his absence.”
He said the UK should not allow its environment be turned into a haven for anti-democracy conspirators.
Secondus said the final plan for the invasion of National Assembly was made when the outgoing Senate minority leader, Godswill Akpabio, visited the president in London at the weekend.
The party last week accused the APC government of planning to invade the National Assembly and impeach Senate President Bukola Saraki, who only recently defected to the PDP from APC.
It said President Buhari’s 10-day holiday in London was a part of the grand scheme aimed cowing the National Assembly, especially members of the assembly that are in the opposition.
However, Secondus commended Acting President Yemi Osinbajo for sacking Director-General of the DSS Lawal Daura.
Osinbajo also described the invasion of the National Assembly by the DSS agents as “a gross violation of the constitutional order, rule of law and all accepted notions of law and order.”
-
2019: Be prepared for war, Secondus tells Saraki, Tambuwal, Ortom, other defectors
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has told defecting politicians from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in its fold to get ready for a fierce political battle in 2019.
Secondus, who stated this on Wednesday night at a dinner in honour of the defectors, according to the party, said the battle to wrest power from the ruling party would be fierce as the APC would not want to relinquish power easily.
He described the defectors as courageous men and women, whom he said refused to keep quiet in the face of “flagrant disobedience of rules in the country.”
“This event is organised in honour of those who took bold steps to join others to rescue the nation.
“They are heroes. They could have chosen to remain where they were and even return to their seats (in the National Assembly), but because they could not see what is going on in the country and keep quiet; that is why they are here.
“They cannot see the killings, the frame-ups, the unemployment and the kind of military democracy that cannot even be described, that they are foisting on us and keep quiet. If we are in the military government, we would know. Rule of law and court orders are no longer obeyed
“These heroes of democracy who have decided to move from the ruling party are unusual men. We need to honour them. Their decision is in defence of democracy.
“But let remind you that we are very far from getting there. Be ready to fight both real and proxy wars.
“It is going to be a very long walk to freedom. There is no longer freedom in Nigeria. No freedom of the press. If you tell them the truth, they say it is hate speech. When you tell them the whole truth, they say it is fake news.”
He described the day the defection took place in both chambers of the National Assembly as the “days of freedom”.
He condemned the federal government for always claiming not to know what happened in the country, adding that the defections that took place in states such as Kwara, Sokoto, Kogi, Kano and others were “because Nigerians are in pains.”
“When things happen, the government will say they don’t know. They are always not aware and are never bothered.”
“When Nigerians are hungry, they don’t lose sleep. The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, will lock down government houses and the federal government would say it was not aware or not bothered.
“We are expecting more states to join us and we pray that they will not be bothered. When we win in 2019, they will not be bothered as well. We are not here to rejoice but to welcome our members and also encourage them to talk to others like them to join us.”
Recall that about 50 members of the National Assembly have defected from the ruling APC to other parties. Most of them moved to the PDP.
A week after, Senate President Bukola Saraki also dumped the party for the PDP.
Three other governors have also moved to the PDP. They are Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto.
The APC has however stated that the recent gale of defections will not affect President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection bid in 2019.
-
Secondus, Atiku condemn security siege on Saraki, Ekweremadu’s homes
The National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Uche Secondus, has condemned Tuesday morning security siege on the Abuja residences of Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.
Secondus in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja described the development as “attack on democracy, using state security apparatus’’.
He said that Directorate of State Services (DSS), Army and the Police had attacked the National Assembly with the aim of forcibly overthrowing its leadership and rendering it comatose.
“The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and other distinguished senators are currently under severe assault from security agencies.
“It is now a known fact that democracy have now collapsed in Nigeria and we are now under a totalitarian and fascist government with no appetite for opposition,’’ Secondus said.
He called on all Nigerians, home and abroad, to immediately speak up against the act he described as “gross violation of the Constitution of Nigeria.’’
The chairman also called on all traditional rulers in Nigeria, the international community and all well-meaning Nigerians to rise against the antics to forestall possible derailment of democracy, saying, “the time to act is now.’’
Similarly, a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, in a statement by his Media Office also called for stop to the persecution of national assembly leadership.
“The news of the siege on the residences of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, is “both troubling and unsettling.’’
“No democratic nation ought to treat the leadership of its parliament like common criminals in the course of a political disagreement.
“I remind the powers that be that on Aug. 31, 2013, when Sen. Bukola Saraki walked out of the PDP and began the process of joining the All Progressives Congress, there was celebration in their camps.
“I also remind them that their electoral victory, which they have so badly mismanaged today, would not have been possible without the Senate President.
“Power is transient and is also a trust that should only be used for the good and advancement of the people one leads and not for the persecution of real and imagined political opponents.
“I, therefore, call for the lifting of the sieges on the persons and homes of Saraki and his deputy, Ekweremadu, by security forces.’’
Abubakar urged President Muhammadu Buhari to live up to his words after Saraki’s ordeal which was brought to a halt by the Supreme Court.
While there was concern about Saraki’s whereabouts, he was reported to have arrived at the Senate Chamber and presided over Tuesday’s plenary.
-
2019: Secondus leads PDP delegation to meet Obasanjo in Abeokuta today
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) is to meet with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta on Saturday ahead of 2019 polls.
The National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus, made this known in Abeokuta while addressing journalists after a meeting between the executive members of the party in Ogun and the PDP NWC.
The Chairman who described Obasanjo as a “warrior” who had fought many battles, explained that the consultation had become necessary to get direction from the former president and tap from his wealth of experience.
Despite explanations by the Federal Government on how the recovered Abacha loot will be spent, Secondus picked holes in its management, alleging it was being arbitrarily distributed instead of being budgeted for.
The disbursement of the money to poor and vulnerable Nigerians, according to the Vice President, will begin this July.
Maryam Uwais, who heads the Social Investment Programme of the Federal Government explained recently that the Federal Government and the World Bank had signed an agreement to use the money to fund the SIP.
According to Uwais, 18 states, which have been enrolled, will benefit from the programme. They are Niger, Kogi, Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Cross River, Bauchi, Jigawa, Gombe, Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Nasarawa and Anambra.
The remaining 18 states have been excluded because the state governments had not put in place the appropriate platform through which to implement the programme.
But Secondus insisted that: “Mother of all corruption is happening under Buhari’s government.
“This is the first time a government in Nigeria, not even under the military, that cash will be withdrawn from the bank and distributed to party cronies.
” The Abacha returned loot is being shared by the incumbent government, without putting it in the budget,” he alleged.
Secondus gave assurance that the party would win the Saturday governorship election in Ekiti state.
The PDP chairman who alleged that there were plans by the All Progressives Congress(APC) to take Ekiti state by force, said ” no amount of intimidation can subvert the will of the people.”
-
Stop sponsoring protest against NASS, PDP tells FG
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against sponsoring protests against members of the National Assembly.
Ministers and appointees of President Muhammadu Buhari were alleged to have paid the protesters with a view to using them to embarrass the National Assembly on Tuesday.
In a statement by PDP’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said such move was capable of “destroying the bedrock of our democracy, pitching Nigerians against one another.”
He said: “Nigerians will recall how, in April this year, hoodlums gained access into the National Assembly, invaded the hallowed chambers of the Senate and made away with the mace, while threatening our lawmakers and disrupting proceedings in the parliament.
“Members of the National Assembly are direct representatives of the people and the failure of the Federal Government to recall Senator Dino Melaye, despite the huge resources invested, speaks volume of the real position of Nigerians on the ongoing stand-off between the executive and the legislature.”
-
$2.1b arms cash: FG files 14 fresh charges against Dasuki, Secondus, Anenih, others
The Federal Government has amended the $2.1 billion arms funds diversion charge against former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) and others.
In the amended charge, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Uche Secondus, former Chairman Board of Trustees PDP Tony Anenih; former PDP spokesperson Olisa Metuh; Publisher of Thisday, Nduka Obaigbena; ex-Senate President Iyorchia Ayu and founder, DAAR Communications Raymond Dokpesi were listed as beneficiary of the fraud.
Also listed are Mouftah Baba-Ahmed, Bello Abba Mohammed, Dr. Bello Mohammed, AVM M. N Umar and Otunba Jonah Ogunniyi, among others.
Apart from individuals, corporate organisations were also named as beneficiaries in the amended charge.
They are AMP Solar Service, Afro-Arab Investment, Bam Project and Projecties Limited, Bob Oshodin Organisation Limited, WEHSAC Farms Limited, Wehsac Limited, Dimaris Mode Coolture Limited, First ARALAC Global Limited, Stellavera Development Limited, Jawaz Multi-purpose Venture Limited, Little Italy Global Services Limited, Belsha Nigeria Ltd and Syvan McNamara Limited among others.
The amended charge was filed at the Abuja Federal High Court, where the old one is pending.
The amended charge of 32 count will replace the earlier 18-counts filed against the defendants about three years ago.
Another amendment of the earlier charge is the removal of a former Director of Finance and Supply in the ONSA, Salisu Shuaib (who served while Dasuki was NSA) as a defendant in the case.
The amended charge dated April 30, 2018 was signed by Mr. Chile Okoroma, Director of Legal Services with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The prosecution did not give any reason yesterday why it amended the charge and why the alteration was effected.
The earlier charge filed in 2015 had Dasuki, Shuaib, Aminu Baba Kusa, Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited as defendants.
The amended charge, sighted yesterday, now has Dasuki, Aminu Baba Kusa, Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
Justice Baba-Yusuf has adjourned to May 17, for the re-arraignment of the defendants on the amended charge.
At the beginning of proceedings yesterday, lead prosecution lawyer Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) informed the court about the amendment to the charge and urged the court to accept it.
Jacobs said: “We have served them (the defendants) the additional documents and we have also filed an amended charge dated and filed April 30, 2018.
“I urge my Lord to accept the amended charge and allow it”.
Jacobs told the court that “one of the reasons for allowing it is that it tends to remove the second defendant and also there are additional counts to make them 32 counts”.
Lawyer to Dasuki, Ahmed Raji (SAN), confirmed the receipt of the amended charge.
He urged the court to graciously avail the first defendant more time to enable them study the additional counts.
Raji said: “I confirm that around 5:30pm on Monday, my office was served. Yesterday, there was no work. So, this morning, my attention was brought to it.
“I have not had the privilege of discussing the content with the first defendant. I scantily went through it and discovered that the counts are now almost double,” Raji said.
-
Court bars FG from publishing Secondus’s name on looters list
The Rivers State High Court has barred the Federal Government, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and other government agencies from further the name of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Uche Secondus on their looters’ list.
The state Chief Judge, A. I . Iyayi- Lamikanra, gave the order in Port Harcourt on Monday when the case against the minister and the federal government brought by Secondus was heard
Secondus’s special media assistant, Ike Abonyi, who was in court, said in a statement that although Mohammed or his representatives were not in the Port Harcourt court on Monday, the trial judge, Mr Iyayi- Lamikanra, directed the plaintiffs to serve the defendants the appropriate order of the court.
Recall that the PDP National Chairman had sued the minister for defamation of character following the release of a looters list which had his name on it.
Counsels to Secondus, Emeka Etiaba, leading Emeka Okpoko and Emeka Echezona-Etiaba, had filed a motion seeking to stop the Federal Government, the Minister or their agents from publishing the name of Secondus on their looters list as well as any other publication intended to further defame him.
Earlier on April 6, the state Chief Judge had granted that the defendants be served by substituted means all the originating processes together with accompanying processes in Thisday newspaper.
The case was adjourned to May 28 for continuation of hearing.
-
Senate Invasion: Nigerians no longer safe under Buhari’s govt – Secondus
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus on Wednesday said that the daylight invasion of the Senate and subsequent hijacking of the mace by some thugs believed to be sponsored by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege is a sign that Nigerians are no longer under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Secondus, who spoke with journalists at the Akure Airport on his way to Ekiti State, said all the political movements going on currently in the country were targeted at removing President Muhammadu Buhari from office in the 2019 Presidential election.
He said, “We are all Nigerians, I believe that all the forces are working together for the interest of this nation and at this point, we believe that the movements are for the interest of all Nigerians. The move is to rescue Nigeria from the crisis we have found ourselves
“A few minutes ago, in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we were informed that hoodlums forced their ways into the Senate chamber and carted away the mace. What that means is that the country is totally broken. The APC government is totally broken, there is insecurity all over the country – from the North to the East to West, people are dying on daily basis.
“So all the forces are for the interest of the country. Nigerian people are tired of the Buhari’s government.
The PDP chairman, who arrived Akure together with some national leaders of the party, also stated that the APC government had performed woefully and the PDP was now ready to take over power, saying the committee set up for the reconciliation had done well as the reconciliation was now yielding fruitful result
“The Dickson (reconciliation) committee has been doing very tremendous jobs and the reconciliation has been very successful. So far so good the people are happy now in the party. You can see the rallies in Jigawa and Katsina States and all over the country the PDP is rebranded and repositioned to regain the power in 2019.