•Get together vows to avert breakup as one other court docket suspends embattled chair
•NEC decides zoning Sept, govs, Atiku, NASS caucus search finish to rift
Prince Uche Secodus has stated he’s nonetheless the Nationwide Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Get together.
He additionally stated that the mandate given to him on the social gathering’s Nationwide Conference in Abuja on December 9, 2017 stays intact till his four-year tenure expires in December this 12 months.
He made the clarifications following his absence on the social gathering’s 92nd Nationwide Government Committee assembly held at its nationwide secretariat in Abuja on Saturday amid speculations that he had been faraway from workplace.
Secondus, in an announcement despatched to one in every of our correspondents from his media workplace, stated his absence on the assembly was as a result of his choice to obey an interim order from Cross River State Excessive Court docket.
Titled, “Secondus has not stepped down, simply obeying Calabar court docket interim order,’ the assertion was signed by his Particular Adviser on Media, Mr Ike Abonyi.
The assertion stated, “The media workplace of Prince Uche Secondus needs to appropriate faulty information circulating that he has stepped down because the Nationwide Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Get together.
“Prince Secondus, by his unavoidable absence on the social gathering’s Nationwide Government Committee assembly on Saturday, was merely obeying an interim order from Cross River State Excessive Court docket.
“As a law-abiding citizen, who has been an adherent of the rule of regulation as a foundation for democracy, stayed away out of respect for the courts.
“Prince Secondus’ four-year mandate to guide the social gathering, given on December 10, 2017, ends by December 2021.
“By this launch, media workplace needs to induce media homes and members of the general public, notably beloved members of PDP, to ignore any information suggesting that he has stepped down.”
Earlier on Saturday morning, Secondus had despatched a memo to his deputy, Yemi Akinwonmi, directing him to preside over the NEC assembly.
The memo, titled, “NEC assembly of Saturday, August 28, 2021,” learn, “I hereby request you to preside over the Nationwide Government Committee of the social gathering, going down in the present day, twenty eighth August 2021 @12 midday, in my absence. Thanks.”
Secondus’ directive was believed to have been on account of a court docket order from a excessive court docket in Calabar, which barred him from returning to workplace because the nationwide chairman of the PDP.
The order got here a number of hours earlier than the graduation of the NEC assembly which Secondus was meant to preside over.
Justice Edem Kooffreh granted the interim order whereas ruling on a movement ex parte filed by Enang Wani in opposition to Secondus and the PDP.
Ruling on the movement ex parte utility, marked HC/240/2021, the choose granted “an order of interim injunction restraining the primary defendant (Secondus) from assuming the workplace of the second defendant (PDP) whereas looking for reelection to the workplace of the nationwide chairman of the second defendant pending the listening to and dedication of the movement on discover.
“The court docket barred Secondus from presiding over any assembly of the social gathering till the movement is heard.
“An order of interim injunction restraining the primary defendant (Secondus) from presiding over the nationwide govt committee assembly of the 2nd Defendant scheduled to carry on Saturday, the twenty eighth of August, 2012 or any subsequent assembly of the nationwide govt committee of the second defendant and from presiding over any assembly of any organ of the second defendant or attending any of such conferences of features within the capability of nationwide chairman of the social gathering or in another method or type trying to forcefully acquire entrance into any such conferences or into the premises of the second defendant as nationwide chairman of the social gathering pending the listening to and dedication of the movement on discover,” the choose dominated.
The court docket additionally restrained the PDP from recognising or granting Secondus the powers because of the workplace of the nationwide chairman.
“An order of interim injunction restraining the second defendant, its members, officers and brokers from recognising the primary defendant as its nationwide chairman or from in response to him any of the powers, rights or privileges because of the holder of the workplace of the Nationwide chairman of the two Defendant pending the listening to and dedication of the movement on discover,” the ruling learn.
Kooffreh additionally ordered that the discover of the ruling be served to the events by substituted means by “pasting on the entrance of the nationwide secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Get together at Wadata Plaza, Plot 1970, Michael Okpara Road, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, within the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria and by publication in two (2) Nationwide Newspapers in Nigeria”.
The matter was adjourned until September 7, 2021, for the listening to of the movement on discover.
It was the second time Secondus can be restrained by a court docket order from persevering with in workplace as PDP Nationwide Chairman.
A Rivers State Excessive Court docket in Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice O. Gbasam, had final week made the identical order.
Nevertheless, a number of days later, a countermanding order by Justice Nusirat Umar of the Kebbi State Excessive Court docket reinstated him to workplace.
The Cross River State court docket order is the newest within the unfolding disaster rocking the opposition social gathering.
Get together says mechanism in place to avert breakup
However on the NEC assembly on Saturday, its nationwide management vowed to not permit the social gathering to breakup.
The assembly additionally picked the Federal Capital Territory because the venue of the social gathering’s elective nationwide conference scheduled to carry between October 30 and 31.
These on the NEC assembly included Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki; Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed; Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku; Governor of Bayelsa State. Douye Diri; Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; and a former governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang.
Others have been three former Presidents of the Senate, David Mark, Adolphus Wabara and Iyochia Ayu.
Former governors of Cross River and Kaduna states, Donal Duke and Ahmed Makarfi, have been additionally in attendance.
On the finish of the NEC assembly, leaders of the social gathering, whereas talking with journalists, stated they have been decided to fix all of the cracks within the social gathering, including that the PDP was robust in its resolve to displace the ruling All Progressives Congress from the Presidency come 2023.
The PDP NEC additionally stated one other assembly would maintain December 9 the place it could ratify and announce the composition of the assorted committees for its forthcoming conference.
The Nationwide Publicity Secretary of the social gathering, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, learn the communiqué of the assembly to journalists.
Ologbondiyan stated, “NEC has resolved that Abuja would be the venue of the PDP Nationwide Elective Conference slated for October 31, 2021.
“NEC (is) to fulfill on the ninth of September to approve the assorted nominations into the respective nationwide conference committees.”
Ologbondiyan stated the PDP NEC members additionally “emphasised the indivisibility of the social gathering and burdened the necessity to stay united and work assiduously in direction of eradicating the ‘inept, indolent and corrupt APC’ from authorities, come 2023.”
He quoted the NEC as additionally urging PDP members to proceed to make private sacrifices within the total curiosity of the social gathering, whereas they expressed gratitude to governors elected on the social gathering’s platform “for setting the tempo within the growth of infrastructure throughout Nigeria.”
Ologbondiyan additionally quoted the PDP NEC as saying that given its wealthy pool of skilled politicians, it was assured that the disaster at present rocking the social gathering can be resolved and the social gathering can be robust forward of the 2023 common elections.
Ologbondiyan stated, “The social gathering boasts of extra skilled palms in social gathering politics in addition to governance, and says its inner disaster administration mechanism is much better than the operations of the All Progressives Congress as a celebration and at the same time as authorities.
“NEC is assured that the PDP has earned the belief of Nigerians as soon as once more and our social gathering will do higher when given the chance to guide the nation.”
In his welcome tackle, Akinwonmi disclosed that the assembly was to take choices on the forthcoming nationwide conference.
He stated social gathering leaders throughout the board labored tirelessly throughout the final couple of weeks to foster cohesion within the social gathering.
Akinwonmi stated, “I’m happy to announce to you all that these interventions are yielding desired outcomes. We should resist each try to point out disunity in our ranks however to work collectively to salvage the nation.”
In his remarks, the Chairman of the PDP Governors Discussion board and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, stated, “Close to the problems of the second; challenges, disputes and disagreements are a part of life, and certainly, politics, what’s vital is how they’re resolved. We have now activated all mechanisms that we’ve in PDP, to resolve all of our points and because the Chairman of PDP stated, I concur. We will proceed to carry collectively, stay collectively as a result of we’re the hope of the individuals of Nigeria and Nigerians are wanting ahead to PDP and we can not afford to fail them.
“The challenges are fairly many and it’s vital for us to proceed to work collectively as a household. We’re going into warfare and we should go to a warfare united, you can not win if you’re divided.
“So, let’s not lose hope. We should stay targeted with our eyes on the ball. And we will, by the grace of God, rating that aim. Thanks very a lot.”
Additionally, the Chairman of the Nationwide Meeting Caucus of the PDP, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, stated tales of cracks within the social gathering have been mere speculations.
He stated, “I need to guarantee you that within the Nationwide Meeting, we’re with our social gathering. The Chairman and Deputy Chairman have, this morning, made statements to point out that there isn’t a crack within the PDP.
“As we have been coming yesterday, I believe we’ve seen from the information that there have been alternate chairman deputies and all that. However in the present day, I believe it’s clear to everybody that the PDP is one and we’re transferring ahead.
“I need to thank the chairman of our governor’s discussion board for assuring us that the PDP will take over the federal government in 2023. Nigerians are searching for us.
“Nigerians are bored with that social gathering that doesn’t actually have a board of trustees, to not discuss of another organ of the social gathering.”
Additionally talking, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar famous that the PDP had the very best when it comes to skilled palms to cope with its inner challenges.
Atiku stated, “So, I need to use this chance to commend and thank all people who has been concerned in making an attempt to resolve the latest disaster. And Nigerians ought to not be doubtful, of our sense of patriotism, and our sense of dedication to get this nation transferring once more.
“We’re being stunned by the APC authorities and we’ve proven to Nigerians that, once we are trusted once more, we’ll do even significantly better than we had achieved earlier than.”
Three court docket orders inside three days not wholesome for democracy, judiciary –SANs
In the meantime, two Senior Advocates of Nigeria have described a state of affairs the place chieftains of the PDP bought three completely different court docket orders on the identical matter inside three days as not wholesome for democracy and the judiciary.
The 2 SANs, Adegoke Rasheed and Remi Olatubora, spoke in several interviews with one in every of our correspondents.
Adegoke stated politicians have been enjoying on the intelligence of judges and abusing the court docket course of.
He, nevertheless, known as for sanctions to discourage such motion amongst politicians, saying it was embarrassing for the nation.
Adegoke stated, “It’s not good for our democracy and a foul manner of enjoying politics which the Nigerian politicians have been utilizing to garbage the judiciary.
“When politicians from the identical social gathering go to completely different courts on the identical matter to get completely different orders, they’re enjoying on the intelligence of the court docket.”
In his response, Olatubora stated the judiciary shouldn’t become involved in political conflicts.
He known as on the physique chargeable for the self-discipline of judicial officers to take motion in opposition to officers concerned within the social gathering’s feud.
He stated, “The best way court docket orders are flying round like locusts within the wake of the PDP management disaster is a good supply of fear to all stakeholders within the justice sector.
“The judiciary shouldn’t get itself dragged into the murky waters of politics.
“I believe we’ve bought to some extent at which the physique chargeable for the self-discipline of judicial officers ought to swing into motion.
“Disaster is going down in Abuja, conflicting court docket orders are flying in from Port Harcourt, Kebbi and Calabar. Extra might are available from Ondo or Malunfashi tomorrow. There may be completely quite a bit incorrect with such a system.”
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