TheNewsGuru

Tag: Secondus

  • Convention: Oyegun congratulates Secondus, others advises them to ‘play opposition responsibly’

    After days of bickering over the outcome of the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held on Saturday and Sunday last week, the chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun, on Tuesday congratulated the newly elected chairman, Uche Secondus, and other newly-elected officials of the party.

    Oyegun said the ruling party “wholeheartedly welcome” opposition and hoped Mr. Secondus would use his “experience garnered over the years to ensure that the PDP assumes its role as a responsible opposition Party in the country”.

    “Our Party wholeheartedly welcome opposition because we believe that democracy cannot thrive without a vibrant but responsible opposition that puts the nation first,” Oyegun-Odigie said in a statement Tuesday. “This will often challenge you to balance partisan interests with overall national considerations.”

    The cordial remarks came two days after both parties clashed over the PDP’s elections, characterised by allegations of rigging and manipulation.

    Shortly after the polls, the APC said in a statement on Sunday that the exercise exposed the opposition party as a platform with corruption in its DNA.

    “The abnormalities that trailed the PDP National Convention have further exposed the PDP as a Party not ready and willing to change,” the ruling party said through its spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi. “Indeed, the PDP has once again displayed itself to the generality of Nigerians that it is a Party with corruption deeply rooted in its DNA.”

    The PDP responded in like manner, labeling the ruling party as an organisation of fraudulent characters that had repeatedly deceived and lied to Nigerians.

    “Nigerians have come to discover that APC is a fraud, an organization of deceitful characters who have failed to keep a single of its countless promises made to the citizens,” the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said in a statement.

    But in a statement he personally signed, Mr. Oyegun-Odigie expressed his willingness to engage Mr. Secondus “robustly in an atmosphere devoid of acrimony and rancour”.

    “I believe that working together we can both elevate the language and temper of politics in our country, thereby providing the enabling environment for democracy to thrive in our country,” he said.

  • Convention: Jonathan, Secondus, others embark on reconciliation talks with aggrieved south-west leaders

    The new leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are considering options on how to pacify the Southwest geopolitical zone, following protest from its leaders and members over their abysmal failure at the party’s convention on Saturday.

    The zone failed to realise its bid to produce the national chairman for the first time since the party was formed in 1998 as a result of the opposition from the party’s governors.

    It was learnt that the PDP governors hijacked the party’s structure to have a say in the 2019 presidential plans of the party, secure second term tickets for eight of the party’s 11 governors and for the remaining three to be able to anoint their successors.

    In a bid to rally support for National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has reached out to aggrieved PDP members.

    Jonathan visited his ally, ex-Minister of National Planning Prof. Abubakar Olanrewaju Suleiman, who lost the post of National Publicity Secretary to the “Unity List” candidate, Mr. Kola Ologbodiyan.

    The former President urged PDP leaders and members to give the Secondus team “benefit of the doubt”.

    Secondus himself initiated reconciliation with PDP leaders in the Southwest, meeting yesterday with a former Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George, in Abuja.

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson was also expected to hold talks with defeated chairmanship aspirant Prof. Tunde Adeniran.

    Further investigation shows that top leaders of the party, especially the founding fathers, were disturbed by the sidelining of the Southwest in the scheme of things.

    The leaders were worried that the number of registered voters in Lagos alone is about 5.8 million, which is more than the figures of Bayelsa, Ekiti, Cross Rivers, Gombe and Ebonyi put together.

    It was learnt that while the leaders of PDP might have come to terms with the reality of the emergence of Secondus, they said the party must assuage the “genuine feelings of the Southwest.”.

    According to a report by The Nation, the PDP options for the Southwest are as follows: engagement and reconciliation; inclusion of more Southwest leaders in party’s key decisions; likelihood of appointment of Senate President or Secretary to the Government of the Federation from the zone, if PDP wins the next presidential race; and juicy appointments after 2019 poll

    A member of the Board of Trustees, who spoke in confidence, said: “The PDP chairman on Monday held a reconciliatory meeting with Chief George. We are hopeful that the healing process will yield fruits.”

    National Publicity Secretary Ologbodiyan said: “There are efforts to begin a proper reconciliation in the Southwest and with some of our leaders. We believe it is not in the interest of all of us to allow the party to be killed.”

    A strong stalwart of PDP, who spoke in confidence, said: “The governors took over the party structure because they have been funding it all along with their huge resources. So, they believe ‘he who pays the piper dictates the tune’.

    “Some of the governors were emphatic that they cannot entrust their future in the hands of some candidates from the Southwest, who might succumb to pressure from the bigwigs in PDP at any critical moment. They rated Secondus as a very strong character.

    “A few others claimed that they were being patriotic by backing Secondus, who can restructure, reunite and make the party stronger to win more states than what the old generation of PDP leaders turned it into.

    “But it was discernible to all that the governors are actually targeting 2019 presidential primaries in PDP. They are determined to have much say on who will secure the ticket of the party. Some of them are already working for some aspirants in PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).”

    During his visit to Prof. Sulaiman, Jonathan arrived at the ex-minister’s home in Abuja at about 1.10pm and left after a 50-minute stay.

    Those on his entourage included a former Minister of Special Duties Mallam Tanimu Turaki and some party leaders.

    Jonathan pleaded with Suleiman and other leaders of the party, who felt offended by the results of the elective convention, to forgive and forget.

    He said: “We should give the new executives of PDP some benefit of the doubt and see how things work out. If we fail to support them, we are not helping the party.”

    He told Suleiman: “I thank you for your doggedness and passion for PDP

    “You did well and members of our party know you are the best among the competitors. Put the events of Saturday night behind you and move on. Accept the outcome of the election as the wish of God.

    “You should not allow yourself to be stampeded into any untoward action. I know better things await you. We cannot afford to lose you.”

    Suleiman, who praised the ex-President for his solidarity visit, said nobody or group could intimidate others out of PDP.

    He said: “I thank you for your compassionate posture. You are a consummate leader worthy of emulation. Your visit has inspired me more on my commitment to PDP.

    “I promise to take to your advice. The party is ours and nobody or group of people can intimidate us out of the party. I thank you and other members of your entourage for the confidence reposed in me.”

     

     

  • [Video] Makarfi hands over to newly elected Secondus-led PDP NWC

    The newly-elected national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Uche Secondus, is formally taking over the affairs of the party at an event at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

    The defunct National Caretaker Committee under the leadership of Ahmed Makarfi is handing over to Mr. Secondus and his newly-elected members of the National Working Committee, NEC.

    The ceremony is holding inside the NEC Hall at Wadata Plaza secretariat of the party, Wuse zone 5, Abuja.

    The video was streamlined live on the official Facebook page of the PDP.

    See video from the ceremony below:

  • New PDP chair, Uche Secondus is product of systematic rigging – APC

    The ruling All Progressives Congress on Sunday made mockery of the whole process leading to the emergence of Uche Secondus as national chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

    APC said Secondus who was elected at Saturday’s convention of the party is a product of vote buying and ballot rigging.

    The ruling party made the observation in a statement signed by the Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi National Publicity Secretary.

    The statement reads, “In reacting to revelations of how money-for-votes and systematic rigging was brazenly perpetuated during the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) is mindful of the popular axiom: “A leopard cannot change its spot”.

    The abnormalities that trailed the PDP National Convention have further exposed the PDP as a Party not ready and willing to change. Indeed, the PDP has once again displayed itself to the generality of Nigerians that it is a Party with corruption deeply rooted in its DNA.

    Again, it is tragic that the PDP which used to pride itself as “the biggest political Party in Africa” has now been reduced to a regional party. By frustrating South West Chairmanship candidates, it is unfortunate that the PDP has decided to punish the South West for not voting for the Party in 2015.

    We urge members of the PDP that can pass the integrity test to join the APC so that we can together bring about the much-needed Change the country deserves.

    SIGNED:

    Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi
    National Publicity Secretary

  • APC’s tenure expires in 2019, we’ll evict them, says new PDP chair, Secondus

    The new National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, has promised to evict the All Progressives Congress from Aso Rock, vowing to lead his party back to power in 2019.

    After taking shot at the APC, Secondus argued that the PDP was founded on ideals that are “totally in tandem” with those of Nigeria’s founding fathers.

    Secondus stated these while delivering his acceptance speech after he was declared the new national chairman at the party’s national convention in Abuja on Saturday.

    He said; “Let me assure you great members and leaders of our party, that by the grace of God and with all hands on deck, the brief tenancy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Aso Rock Villa expires on May 28, 2019. By this, we serve them a quit notice.

    “It is crystal clear to all Nigerians, that APC is not a political party, but a body hurriedly assembled to seize power without a clear-cut plan for governance.”

    Secondus also praised Adeniran and Dokpesi who contested against him for the national chairmanship seat, describing them as eminently qualified to lead the party for the role and thanking them for a “worthy contest”.

  • PDP convention: Secondus emerges party chairman

    A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, has emerged as the new chairman of the party.

    Secondus defeated all the aspirants who contested the coveted position with him in the election which was held at Eagle Square, Abuja on Saturday.

    The result of the election was declared in the early hours of Sunday.

    Details of the poll had not been officially announced as of the time of going to press.

    Secondus received strong backing of the 11 governors elected on the platform of the party, as they stood in solidarity with him throughout the exercise.

    Governors of Rivers and Ekiti States, Messrs NyesomWike and Ayodele Fayose, actively mobilised support openly for the new party chair.

    As of the time of filing this report at 12:10am, Secondus and Wike were still at the Eagle Square as the votes of the elections were being sorted and counted by members of the electoral committee.

    The unflinching support by the governors was said to have boosted Secondus’ chance in the North where Adeniran had initial support.

    A member of the party from the North said that “the northern caucus apart from Prof. Jerry Gana and Senator Ibrahim Mantu decided to support Secondus because he was the toast of the governors and the majority members of the party.”

    Those who contested against him but lost were Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, Prof. Tunde Adeniran and Prof. Taoheed Adedoja.

    Others contestants, apart from Chief Olabode George, announced their withdrawal from the race shortly before the commencement of the exercise.

    George said on Friday at a press briefing that he was withdrawing due to the refusal of the party to micro-zone the office of the national chairman to the South-West.

    The party had zoned the office to the entire southern part of the country, while it also ceded the presidential ticket to the northern region.

    However, while there were seven aspirants from the South-West Zone, only two showed interest from the South-South.

    Others from the South-West included Senator Rashidi Ladoja, Chief Gbenga Daniel, Mr. Jimi Agbaje and Aderemi Olusegun.

    All the aspirants except Ladoja, Dokpesi and Secondus eventually contested the election.

  • Just in: George, Adeniran, Secondus, 6 others cleared for PDP convention

    The screening committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has cleared all the nine national chairmanship aspirants and certified them fit to take part in Saturday’s national convention of the party.

    Chairman of the committee, Mr. Osagie Ize-Iyamu, presented certificates of clearance to them a few minutes ago at the National Executive Committee hall at the party secretariat located as Zone 5, Abuja

    The aspirants are Prince Uche Secondus, Chief Gbenga Daniel, Mr Jimi Agbaje, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, Prof.Taoheed Adedoja, Prof Tunde Adeniran, Chief Olabode George, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi and Mr Aderemi Olusegun.

    Ize-Iyamu said that the list of other aspirants cleared for other offices would be displayed at the party secretariat.

    Chairman of the Convention Planning Committee who is also the Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, congratulated the cleared aspirants.

    He asked them to present the names of their agents to the accreditation committee.