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Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has vowed that he will not withdraw the lawsuits he filed against the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, because he does not trust the chairman to honour agreements.
Wike said this during a meeting with the Senator David Mark-led committee set up by the PDP National Executive Committee to resolve the party’s crisis, Sunday PUNCH reports.
Secondus’ bid to seek re-election and Wike’s determination to stop him was reported to be the genesis of the crisis.
The Mark-led panel had met with Secondus and Wike with a proposal that they both withdraw pending lawsuits to pave way for the peaceful resolution of the crisis.
While Secondus agreed to withdraw on the condition that the other party does same, Wike insisted on going ahead with his.
The report submitted by the Mark-led committee quoted Wike as insisting that the “court cases instituted would not be withdrawn because of the lack of confidence in the other party to keep agreements.”
This was contained in the report submitted by the committee to the party’s National Executive Committee at its 93rd meeting in Abuja, last Thursday.
According to the report, both Wike and Secondus agreed that the Secondus-led National Working Committee should serve out its term.
Wike, however, gave the condition that the chairman must commit not to remain in office beyond December 9, when his tenure officially ends.
It was also agreed that the national convention slated for October 30 and 31, 2021, be allowed to proceed without any of the parties taking any action or inaction capable of derailing it, including litigation.
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt had granted an interim injunction restraining Secondus from parading himself as the national chairman.
As a result of the order, the PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Yemi Akinwonmi, assumed office as acting national chairman.
His appointment was ratified by relevant organs of the party including the party caucus, Governors Forum and Board of Trustees.
A few days later, a Kebbi State High Court, granted an interim order asking Secondus to resume office and carry out his duties as national chairman immediately until the determination of the substantive suit.
Just as Secondus assumed office in honour of the order, a Cross River State High Court in Calabar, granted another order restraining and barring him from performing the functions of the national chairman.
Amid these, the party’s NEC at its 92nd meeting set up an eight-member committee headed by a former Senate President, David Mark, to find a solution to the dispute.
After meeting with the parties involved in the dispute and reviewing the issues involved, it recommended, among other things, that “the party appoints a convention committee that should take over the responsibilities of organising the national convention as soon as possible; that the handing over after the convention could be delayed until December 9, 2021, to enable the current NWC to serve out its term; that those beating the drums of war behind the scene are urged to stop beating the drums; that the Governors Forum should point the way forward and that there is the need for the governors to continue to be united.”
Again, a Rivers State High Court last Friday granted a perpetual injunction restraining Secondus from parading himself as national chairman.
Secondus and his legal team have filed an appeal against the initial restraining order.