The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has reportedly refused to withdraw the lawsuit he filed against the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, Page 36 learnt.
Governor Wike made this disclosure in a meeting with the Senator David Mark-led Committee set up by the PDP National Executive Committee, NEC, to resolve the party’s lingering crisis.
The bid by Secondus to seek re-election as PDP National Chairman, and the determination of Governor Wike to stop him, is reported to be the genesis of the said crisis.
The Committee had met with Secondus and Governor Wike, with a proposal that they both withdraw pending lawsuits, to pave the way for a peaceful resolution of the crisis.
While Secondus agreed to withdraw on the condition that the other party does the same, Governor Wike insisted on going ahead with his.
The report submitted by the Committee quoted Governor Wike as insisting that the “court cases instituted would not be withdrawn, because of the lack of confidence in the other party to keep agreements”.
This was contained in the report submitted by the Committee to the party’s NEC, at its 93rd meeting, in Abuja.
Excerpts of the report revealed that both Governor Wike and Secondus agreed that the Secondus-led National Working Committee, NWC, of the PDP, should serve out its term.
Governor Wike, however, gave the condition that the Chairman must commit not to remain in Office beyond December 9, 2021, when his tenure officially ends.
It was also agreed that the National Convention of the party, slated for October 30 and 31, 2021, be allowed to proceed without any of the parties taking any action or inaction capable of derailing it, including litigation.
Recall, that a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, had granted an interim injunction restraining Secondus from parading himself as the National Chairman of the PDP.
As a result of the order, the PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Yemi Akinwonmi, assumed Office as the Acting National Chairman of the main opposition party.
His appointment was ratified by relevant organs of the party, including the party’s Caucus, Governors Forum, and Board of Trustees, BoT.
A few days later, a Kebbi State High Court granted an interim order asking Secondus to resume Office and carry out his duties as National Chairman of the party, immediately, until the determination of the substantive suit.
Just as Secondus assumed Office in honour of the court order, a Cross River State High Court, in Calabar, granted another restraining order barring him from performing the functions of the National Chairman of the PDP.
Amid these, the party’s NEC at its 92nd meeting, set up an 8-member Committee, headed by a former Senate President, David Mark, to find a solution to the dispute.
After meeting with the parties involved in the dispute, and reviewing the issues involved, it recommended, among other things, that: “The party appoints a Convention Committee that should take over the responsibilities of organising the National Convention as soon as possible; that the handing over after the Convention could be delayed until December 9, 2021, to enable the current NWC to serve out its term; that those beating the drums of war behind the scene, are urged to stop beating the drums; that the Governors Forum should point the way forward, and that there is the need for the Governors to continue to be united.”
More news later…