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2023: PDP NEC approves zoning of National Chairmanship to North.

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. President can come from any region, says Atiku

.Why I’m in court – Secondus

Obiora Ifoh, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s National Executive Council, NEC has adopted the report of the zoning committee led by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.

 

The zoning committee had in their meeting, recommended that the National Chairman of the PDP should be produced by the Northern Region of the country.

 

The committee in their meeting which took place on 30th September at Fraser Hotel, Abuja resolved that the north and the south should swap current party positions.

 

However, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan while briefing the media after the 94th NEC of the party said, “NEC adopted the report of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s committee on zoning of offices of the national working committee.

 

“The Bala Committee report has been slated for another NEC day for deliberations.

 

“Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s report was very explicit on the zoning of elective offices outside the party offices.

 

“So far, so good. Nothing has been said to alter the date of the national convention which is 30 – 31st October.”

 

Part of the resolution of the Ugwuanyi’s Committee read, “The current offices being held by officers in the Southern Zones of the country namely, South West, South East and South-South zones are to swap places with the offices currently in the northern zones of Nigeria, namely, North West, North East and North Central zones.

 

“That zoning of offices on PDP has traditionally been between the North and South of Nigeria.”

 

Also, speaking, the acting PDP National chairman, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi in his opening speech said that, “Today is a day of making history in the life and survival of this great party PDP which Nigerians are eagerly waiting to take them out of the challenges of socio political vices created by the political party in power, the APC.

 

“At this juncture,  I call on us to understand our differences, reflect them and when not necessary, forget them. We should look at our party and Nigeria and bury all our personal differences. Because PDP is above any personal, or individual or collective consideration.”

 

Meanwhile the Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP to decide it’s president candidate based on fairness and justice, rather than zoning.

 

Atiku who noted that South West was rewarded with the presidential ticket in 1999 because of the fate that befell on MKO Abiola and not really because of zoning said “Where the president comes from, has never been the problem of Nigeria.”

 

Speaking at the PDP’s 94th National Executive Committee meeting, Thursday said, “The People’s Democratic Party has the right to determine its rules on how the party should be governed. The people of Nigeria also have the right to determine who governs them.

 

“There is no such thing as a president from Southern Nigeria, or a president from northern Nigeria. There is only one president from Nigeria, for Nigeria, by Nigerians. Talking about inclusions, I would like to see a new national working committee of our party, our great party that has sizeable numbers of our youth and woman.

 

“The decision of NEC today will either see PDP into the villa in 2023 or not. Since the inception, this party has faced serious challenges and have risen above sentiments to solve those challenges and moved forward.

 

“Now let me come to historical events, which I said I was going to cite. Those of us who served in the constitutional conference, which drafted the current constitution of Nigeria, sure remember that after we finished the draft of that constitution, we all met as members of the constitutional conference and resolved to correct the injustice that was done to a particular part of this country. And we said in whichever party you found yourself, your presidential candidate must come from the southwest because Abiola had won election, not only did he win, he was killed. So we all agreed as members, and we went out of the constitutional conference, and we formed our parties, those of us formed PDP others formed ANPP, those who formed AD formed AD. At the end of the day, there were two alliances in two parties. PDP brought General Obasanjo, ANPP brought Olu Falae. This is to show you that Nigerians have a sense of fairness.”

 

Atiku who was PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections said “all the PDP governors and some members of the party met me at the villa and said, they were not going to support President Obasanjo for a second term, that I shall run. I now referred them to the resolution of NEC, where NEC, decided that power should remain in the southwest for eight years. How do you want me to go against the resolution of NEC and I turned it down, and we moved on. So this country has a sense of fairness. This country has a sense of justice, this country has a sense of fairness.

 

“Therefore, this thing that is in-built in our party, we should be able to use it, to embed it, to make sure today’s deliberations is in the best interest of our party in the best interest of Nigeria, which will ultimately give us the victory that we asked for, to go back to the villa.”

 

In a another development, the suspended National Chairman, Uche Secondus said there has been unrestrained blackmail against his person, warning that the soul of the party is being hijacked by a governor.

 

Secondus in a statement by media aide, Ike Abonyi said, “First was the baseless lies that Prince Secondus as National Chairman was not meeting up with his obligations at his ward level in Rivers State. It was based on such ridiculous lies that they approached the court to get the purported interim order. After the interim order based on such frivolous story, the said governor and his errand boys went ahead to get the court ruling against Prince Secondus.

 

“For being so treated and victimized without any justification whatsoever after almost four years of selfless service to the party, Prince Secondus is left with no option but to fight for his fundamental rights by approaching the court to seek redress and correct the blackmail and concoctions.

 

“Notwithstanding the frivolous nature of the allegations, Prince Secondus on his own as a strong believer in the rule of law decided to respect the court by staying away while seeking the necessary right that should correct the judicial ambush against him and the party.

 

“While awaiting the out come of the court presently at the Court of Appeal, the blackmail has continued unabated with fabrications and all kinds of laughable lies to the fact that Prince Secondus is romancing with the opposition.

 

“Afraid that their devious agenda  could backfire, the said governor and his stooges have resorted to linking Prince Secondus with the opposition when facts are there who secretly relates with the opposition.

Prince Secondus records in the party remains untainted from state Chairman to National Organizing to Deputy National Chairman to National Chairman since December 2017.

 

“Against this backdrop therefore, the media office of Prince Secondus deems absolutely necessary to put the record straight and shame those fabricating lies and innuendoes.

 

“What is Prince Secondus real offence? He blatantly refused to be swayed by individual ambition of a Governor that wants him to be a good boy by circumventing the rules of the party.

 

“The leaders are uncomfortable with Prince Secondus’ straight face and unbending stance on fairness and transparency in the conduct of party affairs particularly elections and congresses.

 

“This explanations have become absolutely necessary particularly for some gullible party faithfuls who have been feed with all kinds of lies.

 

“Prince Secondus insistence on his fundamental human rights is not driven by any inordinate ambition but basically to stop the unilateral hijack of the party by some members who are copiously driven by inordinate ambition.

 

“Having paid his dues in serving this party at various strategic levels and has been at the highest command position of the party for the last 46 months, from where he recorded enormous achievements, Prince Secondus will not sit and watch power mongers driven by crazy ambition to rise and hijack and destroy this party.

 

“Prince Secondus therefore urges loyal and committed party faithfuls to remain steadfast in prayer since the party’s journey to Aso Rock is on course.”

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