The picture is becoming clearer that all is not well with the leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as cold war rages ahead of the 2023 general elections with plot to remove the party’s National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus underway; ABDULRAHMAN ZAKARIYAU writes.
The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) are embattled. The Secondus-led NWC was elected in December 2017 to steer the ship of the party till December 2021, however, some party faithful appear bent on booting out the NWC before the expiration of their tenure. This is primarily over alleged poor management of party affairs leading to disaffection among party members even as many have sought refuge in the ruling party the All Progessives Congress (APC).
Blueprint Weekend checks indicate that the major fight in the party is between the camps of the Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, and the Governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on one side against the camp of the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and immediate past Senate President, Chairman of the PDP Reconciliation and strategy committee, Dr Bukola Saraki, on the other hand.
The crux of the matter is the 2023 presidential ambition of Vice President Atiku Abubakar and that of the Sokoto state Governor, Tambuwal, who is majorly supported by the Rivers state governor. This is as the Bauchi state Governor, Bala Mohammed-led committee is yet to come up with its recommendation on zoning.
A source familiar with the happenings in the party told our correspondent that a lot was going on within the PDP.
According to the source that didn’t want to be named for fear of being victimised, some stakeholders especially governors want Secondus and all other members of the NWC to be sacked and replaced with a caretaker committee, while others want them to remain in office till the end of their tenure in December 2021.
“In fact, Secondus has survived several attempts to remove him but those behind his removal are powerful and major financiers of the party. They are not tired and have even shortlisted the Chairman of the South-south Zonal Caretaker Committee, Chief Dan Orbi, and the former Governor of Osun state, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola, as possible replacement.
“Their major crux with Secondus on the surface is poor management of party affairs, but underneath, it is all about fighting for control of the party.
“They have also accused other members of the NWC of been too loyal to Secondus and not loyal to the party members. A few members of the PDP NWC approached a party stalwart in the North Central to save them, but they were told that their time is up because they were too far away from those who put them there,” the source said.
Why they need to go
Also speaking to our correspondent on the development, another frontline member of the party, who craved anonymity, confirmed that all was not well with the PDP.
He revealed that a few stakeholders were doing everything within their reach to manage the situation and allow the NWC to serve their term.
“There are of the few party faithful who insist that everyone should maintain the status quo till December 2021 when they shall show all members of the NWC their way out,” the source stated.
Speaking further he said part of the allegation against Secondus-led NWC is his inability to foster peace in the South West Zonal chapter of the party.
“The PDP National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus has been accused of fueling the crisis in the South-west by using the party structure to support the former Governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose, against its only governor in that zone, Governor of Oyo state, Engr. Seyi Makinde.o
“For years, there has been no peace in the South-west zone. Those who want Secondus to go claim he is part of the crisis going on in almost all the sis South-east states.
According to them, Secondus is supporting Fayose to continue to in the supremacy battle against the governor of Oyo state,” the source further stated.
Billions allegedly diverted
Blueprint Weekend checks further that the crisis may not be unconnected with the allegation of misuse of billions of naira since the advent of the Secondus-led administration.
Reports on some online media platforms indicate the PDP National Auditor, Mai Adamu Mustapha, in a memo circulated among NWC members at a meeting alleged among others that N10 billion generated under the Prince Secondus was unaccounted for.
The memo read in part, “It is now three years plus, through the tenure of this NWC that there was no single financial transaction that passed through the Audit from the inception of this NWC to date, despite the fact that the party has been undertaking financial transactions running into billions.
“The public domain knows that the PDP conducted the following from December 2017 to date: forms were contracted, printed and sold through consultants; series of procurements and services were transacted and paid for.
“Congress and other activities were conducted and huge expenditures incurred; consultants were engaged and paid; statutory disbursement to zones and states from the proceeds of the sales of forms; travels were undertaken in and out of Abuja.
“Proxy account for the sales of forms is illegal and unconstitutional (Section 55(1-3); the details of the operation of this proxy account was not known to the audit department and members of the NWC.
“The interest cost of 3 per cent on this account has to be explained; from the inception of this NWC to date over NI0 billion was generated and unaccounted for. “Non-competitive contract was assigned to print congress documents at the costs of N630 million; while is believe that the actual cost would have been much less than N150 million if competitively decided by the NWC.
“A loan of N500 million was obtained without approval and paid with interest. The constitution section S3(1) and 54(1-4) and 58(L) (a) & (d) this issue was echoed by the Governor Udom Emmanuel-led committee on “garnishee” reported to the NEC in November 2020.
“Sale of last congress forms and membership cards, which is in billions, was not accounted for. Honourable members, it will interest you to know that all the above took place without involving the audit department. “There were no cash/bank reconciliations known to the audit department since 2017. No fixed assets register maintained that will keep records of all the PDP assets including land and buildings, vehicles, generators, furniture etc.”
I didn’t accuse NWC of misdemeanour – Auditor insists
Reacting to the report, at a media briefing, Thursday in Abuja, the PDP auditor said, “I am shocked that a routine memo can be so mischievously misrepresented in the media, ostensibly to achieve a sinister purpose against our party.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all the issues raised in the memo were exhaustively deliberated in the NWC meeting. The deliberation was conclusive because on all the items raised, approvals were sought and granted by both the NWC and the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our great party.
“l want to state clearly that I did not make any allegations of any form of financial impropriety against the national chairman neither did I alleged any form of misdemeanour on any member of the NWC.”
It is worth noting that the NWC, particularly the PDP national chairman, has also been accused of poor leadership style and mismanagement of party affairs leading to the crisis rocking no fewer than 11 state chapters, including Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, Cross River, Ebonyi, Osun, Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, Kano and Adamawa states.
Blueprint Weekend information has it that Makinde alongside some governors in the South-east, North-west and another in the South-south have perfected plans to influence the sack of the Secondus-led NWC before the expiration of their tenure.
Reconciliation committee as point of divergence
The appointment of the former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, as the Chairman, Reconciliation and Strategy Committee is also said not to have gone down well with some governors on the party platform.
Another source close to the PDP Headquarters, Abuja, told our correspondent that, “Some of the governors have not forgiven Saraki for the role he played in 2015 and even 2019 as it concerns the party’s poor performance in the general elections.
“In 2015 they believe Saraki was part of those that made the PDP loss its grip on power at the centre, while others, including one of the high ranking governors in the North-west, see Saraki as having betrayed the party and having scuttled his chances during the party’s presidential primary election in 2018.
“It is not a secret that one of the governors had angrily asked: Who and who will he reconcile? The appointment of Saraki made some of the governors believe that Secondus was working for the interest of a few and not for the majority that has to remain faithful, loyal and committed to the party.
“So, the attempt to reconcile members of the party may have complicated issued for Secondus and the NWC,” the source maintained.
Similarly, in a tweet recently, Fani-Kayode expressed surprise that: “Interesting to note that the man that led the team to GEJ’s house to appeal to him not to leave the PDP yesterday is the same man that led the rebellion against him and the defection of governors from the same party in 2014 and cost him the 2015 presidential election. What an irony!”
The earlier they settle the better
A political analyst, Aminu Muhammed, has said the earlier the PDP settled its internal crisis the better for the party.
In a phone chat with Blueprint Weekend, Mohammed said, “That there is crisis within the PDP is nothing new. Political parties undergo crisis because people of different political understanding and ambition will always have one issue or the other to disagree over.
“Also, as the 2023 general election approaches, politicians will start plotting and all these can bring about the crisis. So it is left for the party to put its house in order before the next general election.
“I am aware there is a reconciliation and strategy committee, Chair by former Senate President, Abubakr Bukola Saraki already making moves to close the gap.
“For the NWC the party and all its stakeholders need to manage the situation well. The Secondus-led NWC has just a few months left though there questions about how he managed the affairs of the party.
“However, is sacking the NWC going to solve the problem or plunge the party into another crisis? This is the question members of the party to answer.
“Also, the party leaders, especially the Reconciliation Committee needed to find all means to resolve the crisis in the South-west chapter of the party.
“Today, PDP is not visible in all the six South-west states. So, if they are serious about winning more states in that zone and the 2023 general elections they need to ensure that the zone comes back to life in peace and unity.
“I think resolving the crisis in the NWC will not only solve their problems but also ensuring that all state chapters, zonal leadership and party stalwarts are at peace with one another will work in favour of the party. So, the earlier they settle the better for them.”
No rancour in PDD – Ologbondiyan
Despite that signs and issues raised by analysts and some party faithful the PDP has dismissed reports that members of the party were calling for the removal of the national chairman and other members of the NWC.
In an interactive session with journalists, recently, the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said there has been no such attempt to sack Secondus.
He maintained that the NWC remained united and working to deliver the party in the 2023 general elections.
“We have a responsibility to move the party forward so we have no issue with our national chairman. You will agree with me that if there is any kind of issue, the environment will not be the same.
“It is the APC that is seeking to divide the PDP. But one assurance I will give is that the NWC is united. There is no rancour and we are working on how to deliver the party in the 2023 general elections,” Ologbondiyan said.
PDP’ll come back stronger, better – BoT Chairman
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibril, has expressed optimism that with the ongoing reconciliation the party will come out stronger and better.
In a chat with journalists, recently, on the state of affairs of the party Senator Jibril said there was no cause for alarm.
“We have given our recommendations to the reconciliation committee to make the report very reach. With the quality of committee members undertaking this we are sure that the PDP come in strong, stronger, and strongest, and we will win in the 2023 election.
“We are very happy. If you see 95 per cent of the members of this committee are members of BOT. So, it means that BOT is so important, very important that they are carrying out this task, this responsibility. So, I am sure they will come with a very good result,” the BoT chairman stated.
