The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Salvation Movement has reacted to recent verbal attacks by Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike on some leaders of the party.
The group in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Imam A Lawal and Secretary, Umar Farouk made available to ASHENEWS on Sunday, said while the governor has the right to freedom of expression, such rights should not be used to attack leaders of the party.
According to the movement, although Wike’s attack were coming “from his failed presidential and vice presidential bids, which are understandable, his daily verbal onslaught against critical stakeholders of the party across the country” were rather arrogant.
“While we note that he has his rights to freely express himself in a democratic manner, we however frown at his attempts to denigrate members of our party for the simple reason that they have refused to be cowed into submission to do his bidding. His Excellency Celestine Omehia, Sen Lee Maeba, Rt Hon Austin Okpara, Sen George Thompson Sekibo and Dr Abiye Precious Samuel Sekibo are at liberty to make their choices without let or hindrance from any quarters,” the group stated.
Read the statement below:
We are a group of vibrant Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Youths known as the PDP Salvation Movement. We have been following events within the party keenly and we are satisfied that the party’s fortunes in the 2023 general elections is very bright. We are satisfied that the Atiku/ Okowa ticket is not only waxing stronger but the only vehicle to rescue, recover and reset Nigeria towards peace, progress and prosperity of our dear nation.
However out of our genuine concern for the good of our party we stumbled across some verbal vituperation evidently coming from the mouth of the outgoing governor of rivers state, Nyesom Wike against our erstwhile national chairman Prince Uche Secondus. Ordinarily we will have dismissed such comments as mere internal discontent arising from his failed Presidential as well as Vice Presidential bid which had taken him on a voyage of political self-destruction through his daily verbal onslaught against critical stakeholders of the party across the country.
While we note that he has his rights to freely express himself in a democratic manner, we however frown at his attempts to denigrate members of our party for the simple reason that they have refused to be cowed into submission to do his bidding. His Excellency Celestine Omehia, Sen Lee Maeba, Rt Hon Austin Okpara, Sen George Thompson Sekibo and Dr Abiye Precious Samuel Sekibo are at liberty to make their choices without let or hindrance from any quarters. Their decision to pitch tent with Atiku has placed them at daggers drawn with the Governor. To monopolize and appropriate Rivers votes to a candidate of his choice and in furtherance of his vindictiveness he prepared and signed a fraudulent and obnoxious Executive Order 22 deliberately targeting the Atiku/Okowa ticket. It is aimed at denying them the opportunity to campaign in Rivers state.
His claim that Uche Secondus is no more a member of the party is maliciously false and misleading . Using the instruments of a vacation judge who through an exparte order granted a request which the NJC viewed as not been urgent has ultimately incurred the wrath and sanction of the National Judicial Council, (NJC) he manipulated the judges across the ladder using his most treasured instrument of intimidation against his perceived or imaginary political opponents which is financial inducements as a means of extracting a compromise .
In all the processes leading to the Supreme Court the substantive matter is yet to be determined, the appeal court only adjudicated on whether or not the National convention should hold and not the eligibility or competence of his appeal to act as the National Chairman. The Governor not long ago granted an interview where he was reported to have said that Secondus had to give way to his failed Presidential ambition and that he was not guilty of any offense as charged (as paraphrased). To make a case out of nothing and claim credit for a misfortune orchestrated by the comedian in chief himself is definitely gibberish elevated to statecraft .
The claim that Prince Uche Secondus dropped out of secondary school is a complete misrepresentation of facts. While in school, in 1975 to be precise Secondus sat for the last London general certificate of education examination in Nigeria and after some years he also sat for National Board for Technical Education examination and obtained relevant certifications. His classmates stand witnesses and are still alive to verify this claim. He only truncated his enrollment at the university of Calabar to study Diploma in Public Administration due to the overbearing pressing demands of his business, politics and family.
He chose his career path diligently and meticulously by rising to become the Chairman of finance committee Port Harcourt chambers of commerce in Rivers state, he received further training at the London chamber of commerce which helped to shape his world view on commerce and industry. He was appointed at the state level member school to land Agricultural board, land allocation committee and chairman Port Harcourt flour mills board.
However at the National level he was chairman board of Directors National insurance commission, National Identity management commission and a member of the Nigerian railways board. Politically he pursued and realized these exalted positions of a Youth leader Rivers state defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN), Publicity secretary National Republican Convention (NRC) Rivers state chapter, State Chairman defunct Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN), Rivers state and from 1999 he was the State Chairman, National Organising Secretary, Deputy National Chairman, Acting National Chairman and National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) respectively. In all these he served diligently and with humility. Immediately after his victory in the 2015 gubernatorial elections and in his thanksgiving service in church Wike said that he owes a world of gratitude and can only attribute his victory for becoming a Governor to God and Uche Secondus.
It was Secondus who midwifed his ascension to being a minister of the federal republic. Anyone in doubt is at liberty to fact-check these assertions. It is manifestly clear that Secondus has risen to the pinnacle of his chosen endeavors. While he was the state chairman of the PDP a position he served meritoriously for nine year’s unblemished while Wike was a local government chairman. As one who has attained these accomplishments Secondus deserves commendation rather than condemnation from any quarters. He has been a witness to so many unfulfilled or reneged political agreements by Wike and if he denies it, Secondus only needs his consent to spill the beans. He is not held hostage by three spirits of power, alcoholism and money. Neither had he ever refunded any money to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). It is Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi who said that Wike has no capacity to construct a flawless sentence in English and that the only thing he worships is money. Secondus interpretation of Wike’s opinion is a matter of semantics. His argument is lucid and on point. As a lawyer, Wike who captured the scenario adequately as pending should appreciate that secondus filed the suit as a bonafide member of the party and praying the court to nullify such frivolous allegations . Chapter 10 of the PDP constitution under Disciplinary Procedure especially section 57(7) which reads in part thus “Notwithstanding any other provision relating to discipline, no Executive Committee at any level, except the National Executive Committee, shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, Deputy Governors or members of the National Assembly.
“Provided that nothing in this Constitution shall preclude or invalidate any complaint submitted through the National Working Committee to the National Executive Committee concerning any person whatsoever” Playing to the gallery and trading insults is an attribute of small minds and disgruntled elements whose frustration is further fueled by failed ambitions . Prince Uche Secondus we urge you to discountenance such infantile and juvenile insults and match steadfastly, steadily and triumphantly to the future with hope, dignity and pride.
