The court injunction barring Uche Secondus from parading himself as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has further deepened the crisis in the party as two factions are laying claim to the chairmanship seat.
Both the Deputy National Chairman (South), Elder Yemi Akinwonmi and Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Suleiman Nazif are fighting for the Seconɗus’s position, following the order of a Rivers State High Court, stopping the embattled national chairman from superintending over the party’s activities.
Akinwonmi had earlier announced the indefinite suspension of the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) of party which was slated for Tuesday, citing the the court order suspending Seconɗus for his action.
He said section 45(2) (b) of the constitution of the party empowers him to summon and preside over party meetings in the absence of the national chairman.
However, Nazif called a meeting of the NWC soon after the statement was made public on Tuesday and pronounced himself the national chairman.
He claimed that Akinwonmi
was incapacitated and has not attended NWC meetings and other party functions in the last nine to 10 months.
He argued that his action was inline with section 47 (4) of the PDP constitution which states: “In the absence of the National Chairman and the Deputy National Chairman from the region part of the country where the National Chairman originates from, the other Deputy National Chairman shall act as National Chairman without prejudice to 47 (6) of this Constitution.”
He said, “On this note, distinguished NWC members, I hereby take full charge of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Chairman in an acting capacity”.
