FROM: TAIWO AMODU, ABUJA
FORMER deputy national chairman of the dissolved Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) National Working Committee, (NWC) Uche Secondus has advised former Borno State governor and erstwhile national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to accept in good faith the dissolution of their executive of the party.
The highest organ of the party, the national convention had last month in Port Harcourt dissolved the PDP NWC and constituted a caretaker committee with former Kaduna State governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi as chairman.
But Modu Sheriff had since kicked against the proclamation of the national convention, insisting that he remains the national chairman.
He further claimed that a federal high court in Lagos had in a declaratory judgment asked his leadership to put the convention held last month on hold.
But addressing newsmen in Abuja, Secondus who had since pledged loyalty to the Ahmed Makarfi committee, along with nine other members of the dissolved national leadership of the erstwhile ruling party maintained that the dissolution was in order.
The former deputy national chairman in his statement titled, “Let us Sacrifice for the PDP,” also dismissed insinuation that he was not constitutionally empowered to preside at the convention in the absence of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.
He said: “It has become expedient that I reaffirm the position of the majority of the members of the National Working Committee of our party supporting the decision taken at the National Convention of the party held on May 21, 2016 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, especially as it concerns the dissolution of the National Working Committee.
“May I reiterate that the constitution of our party is very clear on the processes that led to the convening of a National Convention and the powers and functions of that convention.
“The National Executive Committee convenes a National Convention and the national chairman presides and in his absence (For whatever reason) the Deputy National Chairman presides.
“There is a precedent to this during the 2011 National Convention of our party where the Deputy Chairman presided over the convention.
“The constitution of our party does not stipulate that the National Chairman must instruct the Deputy National chairman to preside at the convention before the Deputy National Chairman can do so.
“The decisions taken at the 2016 convention did not contravene any court order, rather it applied the spirit and the letter of the constitution to resolve a contentious situation regarding tenure of officers in the party.”
The former deputy national chairman further appealed to Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to submit himself to the resolution of the highest organ of the party for amity to return to the main opposition party.