CONTROVERSY OVER THE ELECTION OF SECONDUS

Naij.com has reported that interest groups in People’s Democratic Party are set to battle each other for control of the party, following the outcome of the national convention. According to Buchi Obichie, power brokers from Southwest are set to battle for the vice presidential ticket which had previously been zoned to the southeast, following the loss of the national chairmanship position.

From the ongoing, it is hoped that the vice presidential ticket will go to the South west while the southeast gets the ticket for Senate presidency. The turn of events was as a result of the election of Uche Secondus as the party’s national chairman, as it was expected that the new PDP Chairman will emerge from the South West. The PDP had previously zoned its national chairmanship and Vice President positions to the southwest and southeast respectively, while the north was given the presidential ticket, the speaker-ship of the House of Reps and the secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). It has also zoned the Senate presidency slot to the south south. The emergence of Secondus as the new PDP chairman has therefore made the Vice Presidential tickets a bone of contention for candidates from the southwest and southeast.

Meanwhile, it appears that Governor Ayo Fayose will contend with Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on the presidential ticket. The biggest challenge now is whether the southwest will agree to let go of the vice presidential slot initially given to the southeast in the interest of the party. These issues are enough to generate crisis in PDP if not properly handled.  

As if that was not enough trouble, today’s Punch had reported that a group made up of about five men who are aggrieved over the outcome of PDP National conference had opened a parallel secretariat on Wednesday for the main opposition party in Abuja.

Meanwhile, Leadership Newspaper of December 14 reported that the former national publicity secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, has said that the outcome of the party’s national convention has re-positioned it to take over power in 2019.

He urged aggrieved PDP Chairmanship aspirants to join hands with the new party leadership headed by Prince Uche Secondus in providing a credible opposition that will continuously provide alternatives and options to the policies and programmes of the ruling party. Metuh described Secondus as a tried and tested hand and proven party administrator with exceptional institutional memory to handle the affairs of the party.

In the light of the above, we must state here that if PDP must take over from the opposition party come 2019, then it must thrive to resolve the issues it is facing amicably and on time. Crisis at this time will only end up causing the party loss of power as was the case in 2015 elections. The zone that has enjoyed power more than others should be able to sacrifice and give unity a chance in the party while those who were disappointed with the outcome of the National Convention should put aside their grievances and dialogue with the party leaders. Creating party factions at this time will never do any PDP member any good.

Brought to you by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

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