BY LINUS CHIBUIKE
PLOT to remove the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party thickened on Tuesday as many members of the National Working Committee of the party intensified the move during the party’s NWC meeting.
Those pushing for the removal of Secondus insisted that he could not lead PDP back to the seat of power in 2023.
According to sources at the meeting, where members reportedly engaged in heated exchanges, many NWC members were also of the opinion that the National Chairman could not put together a successful reconciliation effort that would put PDP back at the forefront of Nigerian politics, even when they said Nigerians were tired of the All Progressives Congress administration.
An impeccable source told THE POINT that key stakeholders of the PDP, even beyond the NWC members, were tired of not having an effective leadership at the centre.
“Go to the South, East, North and West, nobody wants him there again. There were issues when he was coming in for the first time, but people felt he would improve by the day. But with the way things stand right now in the politics of Nigeria, stakeholders are insisting that a Secondus can not lead them to the Promised Land,” the source who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said.
“What the NWC members are saying is that if we leave him (Secondus) as Chairman, we should know that we are not ready to win back the mandates of Nigerians. It was a tough meeting. Many people don’t want us to retain him, that’s it,” he added.
Our correspondent also learnt that some people brought allegations of financial recklessness against Secondus, which would be investigated in due course.
Another insider told THE POINT that some members of the National Exco said they were ready to resign from their positions to pave the way for a smooth “coup” against Secondus.
“The problem we’ve had in PDP has been that of effective leadership, especially at the centre. Party stakeholders will say something, the Chairman will implement something else behind, and many of the states are in disarray because of this,” the source alleged.
With the APC’s ongoing membership registration and revalidation exercise, there has been an intensive drive to capture key members of the PDP into the ruling party.
While some like former Governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, defected on Tuesday, others had defected even long before the exercise.
This, analysts said, might have prompted the PDP to begin its reconciliation moves, led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki.
The team visited former President Goodluck Jonathan first and rekindled the hope of members and loyalists amongst Nigerians that the former President was not considering joining the APC.
Some stakeholders have also linked the calls for the removal of Secondus to an allegation that he single-handedly lifted the suspension placed on PDP House of Representatives members who played active roles in the emergence of Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker.
The NWC had been dangerously divided at the end of the Tuesday meeting, which could not end with a particular resolution.
More members however insisted that Secondus must go, it was learnt.
