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In PDP most dramatic NWC meeting ever, Secondus becomes first chairman that gets locked out of meeting
The pounding of his heart and the pumping of adrenalin must have meant something to PDP’s embattled chairman when he plucked up his guts, and sauntered straight to his office at the Wadata House in Abuja August 27.
The Birnin-Kebbi high court ruling reinstating him Thursday night as PDP chairman following his suspension Monday night must have heightened his expectation, too. He simply preened up, ready to chair the national caucus meeting.
He even walked in the BoT chairman Walid Jubril and Yemi Akinwnmi, a national deputy he knew the party already appointed as replacement.
Whatever was going on in his mind?
But Uche Secondus, an ally of ex V.P Atiku Abubakar, and a debtor to Rivers Gov. Nyesom Wike’s large-heartedness, was wide off the mark in his calculation.
He was simply edged out of the meeting, and his efforts to seek the governors’ forum understanding failed.
Instead, Akinwonmi, presided over the meeting.
Secondus’ humiliation was of the same caliber as the members of the national caucus who attended the meeting: the BoT, the National Working Committee (NWC), the PDP Governors Forum and National Assembly members.
Others were former principal officers of the National Assembly, former Governors, former Ministers and former national chairmen of the party.
In the drama that played out before the caucus, Akinwonmi stood up and addressed the gathering, trying to read he court paper from Kebbi which Secondus’ lawyers served on him and Jubril. The governors’ forum denied they got a copy.
“I know the letter would be of importance to this meeting and I received it,” he said.
They, howver, were not interested. And the meeting began, excluding Secondus.
The governors’ forum chairman Aminu Tambuwal, who, in the power configuration within the party, is the closest ally of Wike’s, told newsmen the party decision.
According to him, a panel was already looking into the conflicting orders, including the one from the Rivers high court that sacked Secondus Monday night.
“This distinguished body had empaneled eight distinguished leaders of our party under the able leadership of former President of the Senate, David Mark, to interface with our leaders who are involved in these issues of court so that all court matters can be withdrawn for normalcy to return to the party,” said Tambuwal.
The David Mark panel of party elders held a meeting last week when Wike turned on the heat o Secondus.
The elders placated the governor, and bought a few more weeks for Secondus beleaguered with allegations of corruption and incompetence to get his act together and bow out by October—instead of December when his tenure expired.
Nothing worked. Wike refused to be pacified until he nearly pushed the PDP off the cliff.
To prevent further escalation, the party will do one of two things: freeze Secondus out or appeal to him.
The latter appears likely.
The national caucus agreed he will preside over the August 28 National Executive Meeting, where the party national convention date already set will come up for discussion.