Secondus’ suspension: PDP postpones NWC meeting indefinitely

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has postponed its National Working Committee (NWC) meeting earlier slated for Tuesday indefinitely, following a court order suspending the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.

Secondus is under intense pressure to resign as some power brokers in the party have accused him of “allowing” a gale of defections through his alleged inability to carry other stakeholders along in the scheme of things.

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Following the internal crisis in the party, a High Court siting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, had on Monday granted an interim injunction restraining Secondus, from parading himself as chairman and member of the PDP.

Justice O. Gbasam of the Degema Judicial Division granted the order.

This was sequel to the consideration of an ex parte application in suit No: PHC/2183/CS/2021 filed by Ibeabuchi Ernest Alex, Dennis Nna Amadi, Emmanuel Stephen and Umezirike Onucha against Uche Secondus (1st defendant) and the PDP (2nd defendant).

The judge, after reading the affidavit in support of the motion of ex parte as well as the written address, and after hearing the submission of H.A. Bello, counsel to applicants, granted the order.

In a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, the PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, announced the postponement of the NWC meeting.

“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 proper 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,” he said.