SECONDUS: Suspense as PDP panel confronts Wike with anti-party indictment

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  rconciliatory panel has pinpointed the source of the months-long crisis roiling the opposition, but it seems pussyfooted in talking it.

Last week, the party set up an eight-man panel whose chairman is former Sen President David Mark. Among other goals, the panel must settle the growing crisis in which the gladiators commandeered ex parte orders to fight.

While it took this long for the part gunning for Aso Rock in 2023 to figure out the problem, Nigerians already knew.

The panel on August 31 attributed the leadership crisis to the battle between Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and suspended Chairman Uche Secondus.

“We have resolved to hold a frank session with Wike and Secondus within the next 48 hours,” a source told the Nation.

The panel intended to put it to the duo they are the party-poopers, abusing three ex-parte orders, two sacking Secondus, and one reinstating him before another could have thrown him out again.

“Our minimum demand is immediate withdrawal of all cases in court in order to restore stability to the party,” the source added.

The problem is Wike, a hard-ball politico and brinkman, has become a law unto himself in the PDP, the reason the problem has escalated.

So it’s very likely there will be a showdown with Mark and his panel in the next 48 hours as they indict him for the party crisis.

Wike wears his heart on his sleeves, no doubt. So he won’t hold back.

He has threatened to leave the party a number of times; he has threatened to withdraw Rivers support of the party; he has called the party elders tax collectors; and he has insisted Secondus must leave for the party to move forward.

On all those occasions of anti-party behaviors, Wike has always been mollycoddled.

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And in his relentless push for Secondus’ removal, nobody, even within his caucus—PDP’s governors’ forum—has been able to question him, despite the consensus that Secondus be allowed in office till October, two months before he ends his chairmanship.

Sokoto Gov Aminu Tambuwal who chairs the forum has been swaying in Wike’s favor.

It is expected.

The two governors are allies, and a likely team for the party’s presidential ticket in 2023.

Marks may have to choose his word not draw the ire of the PDP tin god as they meet eyeball to eyeball.