Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, who two days ago, declared himself as the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), when a High Court in Degema, Rivers State, removed Prince Uche Secondus as National Chairman, has finally been accepted as acting National Chairman of the party.
The party on Thursday, August 26, 2021 passed a vote of confidence on its Board of Trustees (BoT), and declared that its convention must hold in October this year.
Speaking during the Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting, Akinwonmi said PDP cannot die, pointing out that, “contrary to what people are saying in both the conventional and social media PDP is not dead”
“I’m happy today, by this evening when they see us in television, hugging ourselves, laughing and yelling, they will know that PDP is alive.
According to him, the party has decided to address this development created by the absence of Secondus, by insisting that Akinwonmi is the right person to occupy the position, according to its Constitution in Section 45 (2).
His word, “PDP is coming stronger than before. That there is a little squabbles in party is not my making or that of my colleagues. It is a situation that called for it but we are responded to it quickly. We have closed ranks. We have brought our house to order.
“My brothers and sisters, we have to come together, PDP has come together. I’m a man of peace. My leaders know me that I’m a man of peace I have nothing to hide. If you ask me to this date I will not stay a day longer than you have me to.
“The NWC have accepted and adopted the end of October as end of our tenure. We will soon set the machinery of the convention in Motion. We will soon set the ball rolling for us to have our convention and have new set of officers to come and pilot the affairs of our party.
“I’m tired I’m going back to my farm. I am a farmer in Ogun State. I am anxious to go back to my farm. So I have no business in Abuja. But only that I am a child of circumstance.”
Akinwonmi stated further that he came to savage the party with the support of the leaders, even as he claimed that he will steer the boat ship to a successful end.
“I enjoin all of us let us work together. My office is open 24 hours. Some people say I am incapacitated, but am not, I have challenges and because I have no money, if I have money, I will be in Dubai now and come back a strong Nigerian.
On how he planned to unite the party, Akinwonmi declared “In unity, we’ll succeed. In unity PDP shall regain the Presidency again. Let us work hard; this is the time for PDP to win. This is the time better than other time. You know Nigerians are now crying for 2023. This is the time will should be united. This is the time there should be no acrimony, so that we will regain our stolen property.”
Surprisingly, former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar appeared in the secretariat. He spoke briefly. He commended the BoT, and stated that since the party lost power, the BoT members have become the most active organ that provided leadership to it.
This is the first time of his coming to PDP secretariat after over two years, our Reporter recalled. On why he was absent, Atiku enthused “I went back to school for further studies”.
“Many people have wondered where I have been since September last year and it became a matter of rumour. I want to say categorically that I was away because I went back to school and I have finished my lectures in May and read Masters in International Relations at the Cambridge University.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank our former President, Olusegun Obasanjo who actually recommended me for that course in that University.”
The former Vice President therefore mocked those whom he said, were rejoining over the crisis rocking the party, and declared, “Yesterday, our opponents were rejoicing that there is a crisis in PDP. Today, I don’t know what they will be doing. They will be crying because PDP has resolved its own crisis.”
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, while briefing newsmen earlier said, “we have navigated the turbulence that we find ourselves in and today, like you all witnessed when you came in, there are no factions in the Peoples Democratic Party. The motion was moved and Elder Yemi Akinwonmi was unanimously approved as the Acting Chairman of our great party.
“It is interesting for Nigerians to know that this is in line with the provisions of our Constitution. The party is fully back on stream, we are sailing smoothly and I will also want to let you know that as you can witness out Board of Trustees meeting is going on as we speak.
“Tomorrow, we are going to have a caucus meeting, and the National Executive Committee will also meet tomorrow in preparation for the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which will hold on Saturday.”
The BoT Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin told newsmen shortly after that, “the BoT accepted the position of the acting Chairman of our party, following the provisions in the constitution of the party, that is, the Deputy National Chairman South should resume as the acting chairman of the party.
“The NWC has accepted the documents submitted by the larger caucus of governors, National Assembly members, former governors, former ministers, and so on and these include: the coming elective convention will be in October.
“They have also agreed to come with a proposed list to the BoT for their own input before the NEC. The NEC meeting has been fixed for Saturday. Before the NEC, there will be a meeting of BoT, there will be a meeting of caucus.”
It will be recalled that a High Court in Degema, Rivers State on August 23, 2021 ordered the removal of Secondus as the National Chairman of PDP. The court also ordered that Secondus from that date should stop parading himself as a National Chairman of PDP.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
