Prince Uche Secondus
The All Progressives Congress, on Sunday, alleged
that the Peoples Democratic Party, at its Saturday’s convention, decided to
punish the South-West for voting against the PDP in the 2015 elections.
The APC made this allegation in a statement in
Abuja on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.
It said the failure of the South-West to get the
PDP chairmanship was a punishment meted out to the zone by the former ruling
party.
The ruling party further said the national
convention of the PDP had once again showed Nigerians that corruption was
deeply rooted in the PDP’s genes.
The APC explained that the outcome of the PDP
national convention did not only reduce the opposition party to a regional
party, it also exposed it as a party unwilling to change for the better.
He said, “With revelations of how money-for-votes
and systematic rigging were brazenly perpetuated during the National Convention
of the Peoples Democratic Party, the All Progressives Congress is mindful of
the popular axiom: ‘a leopard cannot change its spots’.
“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 the South-West’s chairmanship candidates,
it is unfortunate that the PDP has decided to punish the South-West for not
voting for the party in 2015.”
At the convention, Prince Uche Secondus from
Rivers State emerged as the chairman of the PDP in the early hours of Sunday.
The APC also urged members of the PDP, who could
pass “the integrity test”, to join the APC in order to bring about the
much-needed change the country deserves.
Let APC address the sufferings it has
caused Nigerians, says PDP
But the PDP, in a statement by its new National
Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the APC’s statement was laughable.
The PDP stated that the APC, which had “roundly
failed in not only managing the affairs of the country, but also its own
internal issues, will recourse to panic mode just because the PDP has succeeded
in uniting its fronts by conducting a very credible elective national
convention.”
He said the PDP was aware of many plots by the
APC to sabotage the convention, which failed.
Ologbondiyan added, “We were very much aware of
the plots by the APC to scuttle the convention, and failing, it has resorted to
a failed attempt to discredit an elective convention that has been adjudged as
creditable, novel and laudable by political stakeholders and lovers of
democracy across the nation.
“This unwarranted attack is only symptomatic of a
party that has lost control and only clutching to straws for survival having
been rejected outright by Nigerians.
“Is it not disgusting, reprehensible and
embarrassing that the APC, that has repeatedly failed to hold meetings,
congresses and convention in the last three years and has flagrantly continued
to violate its own constitution, is questioning our party’s rights to perform
its legitimate and constitutional obligation?
“Perhaps the APC leaders have never read Article
25 (A)(i) of their party’s Constitution which stipulates that ‘the National
Convention of the party (APC) shall be held once in two years at a date, venue
and time to be recommended by the National Working Committee and approved by
the National Executive Committee subject to the giving of the statutory notices
to the Independent National Electoral Commission and at least 14 days notice
given to members eligible to attend.
“Which impunity could be higher than APC
violating its constitution? It is strange that APC could be moralising on
the principles of social justice whereas its actions against Nigerians are a
complete departure from the norms.
“It is important for this spokesman of a failed
party and his pack of incompetent members to reminisce on the needless pains
and suffering they have inflicted on Nigerians rather than being jittery over
the successful outcome of the PDP’s elective national convention.”
Ologbodiyan added that it was no longer news that
the nation “is drifting under APC and the PDP has come to the rescue.”
He added, “We must therefore remind the APC that
the era of deceit, trickery and scaremongering, which has been the hallmarks of
their government, is gone and Nigerians are just waiting to kick them out come
2019.”
In a similar vein, the Organising Secretary of
the PDP in the South-West, Mr. Fasiu Bakene, described as a blatant lie the claim
by the APC that the PDP punished South-West for voting against the former
ruling party in 2015.
“This is another blatant lie of the APC, which is
seeking the sympathy of the South-West for its abysmal failure in keeping its
electoral promises,” he stated.
But the National Vice-Chairman of the APC
(South-South), Hilliard Eta, said the PDP lacked the moral authority to cast
aspersions on the ruling party.
Eta stated this in a telephone interview with The
PUNCH while reacting to the criticism of the ruling party by the PDP at
its convention on Saturday. The PDP had, at the convention, said Nigeria was
sinking under the APC government.
Eta said the failure of the PDP to provide
quality leadership for Nigerians was the reason why Nigerians voted it out of
power in 2015.
He said, “There is no doubt that Nigerians across
party lines believe in the ability and political will of the President
Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration to deliver on its promises.
“The facts are there. Our security has improved
tremendously. The basic infrastructure, which collapsed under the 16 years of
PDP misrule, is gradually being rebuilt. The war against corruption is yielding
results. The looting of our common patrimony, which was the norm under the PDP,
has been dealt a fatal blow.
“It is uncharitable for the PDP to accuse the
APC, which has just spent a little over two years out of a four year mandate,
of failure.
Jonathan, Atiku call for unity in PDP
Meanwhile, former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan
has congratulated the newly-elected national officers of the PDP.
Jonathan, in a statement on Sunday by his
spokesperson, Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, urged the executive members to unite all
members.
Jonathan stated, “I congratulate the newly elected
members of the National Working Committee of our great party, led by Prince
Uche Secondus, and wish them a successful tenure as they seek to reposition our
great party, the PDP.
“I reiterate that the only way to prove that this
is a victory for the PDP and all our members is for the new leaders to be
magnanimous and aim to carry everybody along, for we cannot achieve our mission
and aspirations unless we unite as a family.”
In his own reaction, former Vice-President Atiku
Abubakar also called for unity among members of the party.
A statement by the media office of the former
Vice-President congratulated Secondus and other elected officials.
He said Nigerians were looking up to the party
for unity in the party, “because it takes a united and coherent PDP to sack the
APC government in 2019.”
Atiku added, “Just as we mobilised to put an end
to prolonged military rule in 1999, the people of Nigeria, at this moment, look
up to us to rescue the country from the mis-government of the All Progressives
Congress.
“Arising from our elective congress, there should
be no victor and no vanquished. Our paramount attention should be focused on
sacking a government that deceived the people of Nigeria into power by
promising our youths three million jobs annually, only to deliver three million
joblessness annually; a government that is repeatedly living in denial of its
commitment to restructuring. We must be united to take power back to where it
belongs: the Nigerian people.
“Meanwhile, I call on all our leaders and members
to rally round the new executive for the sake of our party, Nigeria and the
good of our people.”
No time for honeymoon, Ekweremadu tells
Secondus, others
Also, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike
Ekweremadu, has told the newly-elected exco members of the PDP to get down to
work immediately as they have no time for a honeymoon.
Ekweremadu stated this in a congratulatory
message to the new party executive in Abuja on Sunday by his Special Adviser on
Media, Uche Anichukwu.
He said, “I congratulate the Prince Uche
Secondus-led NWC on the members’ election in a free, fair, credible,
transparent, and indeed democratic election. The PDP has set an example which
other political parties will have to emulate to deepen the nation’s democracy.
“Importantly, I believe that 2019 is a comeback
year for the PDP because distraught Nigerians look up to our great party.
However, there is a lot of work to be done and the party faithful expect
members of the new NWC to hit the ground running because they have no luxury of
a honeymoon.”
In his own congratulatory message, a former
Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, commended Jonathan, Atiku,
Senator Ahmed Makarfi and others for “their profound and inspiring speeches at
the convention.”
Fani-Kayode stated, “We must be ready and
prepared to fight for a greater cause and to stand against a vicious, corrupt,
deceitful, relentless and rapacious enemy that has divided our country, that
has destroyed our economy and that has persecuted, marginalised, humiliated,
demonised, massacred and pauperised our people.”
APC must vacate Aso Rock in 2019, says
Secondus
In a related development, Secondus, who emerged
the PDP national chairman on Sunday morning in Abuja, declared that the APC
must get ready to vacate Aso Rock in 2019.
He said the APC had failed Nigerians because of
its faulty foundation and lack of solid ideas for development.
Speaking after he was sworn-in on Sunday morning,
Secondus said, “In the words of the 34th President of the United States of
America, Dwight Eisenhower, ‘If a political party does not have its foundation
in the determination to advance a cause that is right and that is moral, then
it is not a political party; it is merely a conspiracy to seize power’.
“Judging from this, it is crystal clear to all
Nigerians that the APC is not a political party, but a body hurriedly assembled
to seize power without a clear-cut plan for governance.”
Secondus said the need to plan to sack the
ruling party from the government at the centre must be immediate, alleging that
this would save the country from disintegration.
He said, “We are all witnesses to how the unity
of this country has been shaken to its very foundation under the watch of the
rudderless and clueless APC.
“We therefore have a gigantic task of retrieving
this country from the APC’s clear lack of direction and confusion starting with
the Presidency.”
He said he was ready to lead the party to victory
in 2019, adding that he was aware of the mandate handed to him by the
delegates.
Secondus added, “By my understanding, the mandate
you have given us today is clear and unambiguous. It is to return our party to
power come 2019.
“As Herculean as this mandate seems, I know it’s
achievable. My campaign pillars for this election are ‘to rebuild, reposition and
regain’.
“Let me assure you great members and leaders of
our party that by the grace of God and with all hands on the deck, the brief
tenancy of the APC in Aso Rock Villa expires on May 28, 2019. By this, we serve
them a notice to quit.”
Secondus polled 2,000 votes to defeat Prof. Tunde
Adeniran, who polled 230 votes.
Apart from Secondus, others elected at the
convention are the National Deputy Chairman, South, Yemi Akinwonmi; National
Deputy Chairman (North), Sen. Gamawa Garba; National Secretary, Sen. Ibrahim
Tsauri; Deputy National Secretary, Dr. Agbo Emmanuel; National Treasurer,
Mr. Aribisala Adewale, and Deputy National Treasurer, Alh. Wada Masu.
Also elected are Financial Secretary – Ibrahim
Maibasira; Deputy Financial Secretary, Irona Alphonsus; National Organising
Secretary, Austin Akobundu; Deputy National Organising Secretary, Hassan
Yakubu; National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan; Deputy National
Publicity Secretary, Diran Odeyemi; National Legal Adviser, Emmanuel Enoidem
and Deputy National Legal Adviser, Ahmed Liman.
Others are the National Auditor, Mallam Adamu
Mustapha; Deputy National Auditor, Miss Divine Arong; National Women
Leader, Hajia Mariya Waziri; Deputy National Women Leader, Umoru Hadizat;
National Youth Leader , Udeh Okoye; and Deputy National Youth Leader, Umar
Maina.
