PDP: Tension In Rivers As Court Hears Suit Seeking To Stop Uche Secondus From NEC Meeting

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State is currently experiencing tension as a lawsuit is scheduled to be heard today at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Naija News reports that the lawsuit aims to prevent the former National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, from participating in the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees meetings.

Precious Wobosike of Ubima Ward 8 in the Ikwerre local government area also filed another lawsuit, seeking to prevent Celestine Omehia, the sacked Rivers governor, from attending the PDP’s NEC meeting.

However, Titus Jones, a member of the PDP in Ward 5, Ikuru Town, Andoni Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, has filed a lawsuit against Uche Secondus Ward. He has expressed concern about the alleged threat to his life and his family through a series of anonymous phone calls.

In this lawsuit, the defendants are as follows: Secondus, PDP, acting PDP Chairman Umar Damagun, PDP Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, PDP NEC, PDP National Working Committee (NWC), PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Jones, represented by his counsel Joshua Musa, SAN, is seeking an order to restrain the NEC, NWC, party chairman, secretary, and BoT from allowing Secondus to participate in any meetings until the motion on notice is heard and determined. This is due to Jones’ suspension from the party.

In the originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/436/24, Wobisike, through his lawyer, sought an injunction restraining Omehia from demanding from Anyanwu, the party’s secretary, any notice of meetings of the NEC.

He additionally requested a court order to prevent Omehia from attending any party NEC gathering or participating in its activities/discussions in any capacity.

Also, Wobisike requested a restraining order preventing Anyanwu from informing Omehia about NEC meetings, “as he is not a former Governor of Rivers State”.

Jones stated on Monday that he has received numerous death threats from unidentified individuals threatening to harm him and his family ever since the lawsuit against Secondus was filed.

His statement reads: “My name is Jones, Titus. I am from Ikuru Town, Ward 5. Sometimes, in the year 2020. Secondus was suspended from the party from His ward, and He went to court, and the court determined that the suspension stands. And since that time, He has not been called back to the party.

“But to my greatest surprise, the same Secondus is still going to the NWC meeting, while he is not a member of the party. So, as a party man who is loyal to the party and as they said, “the court is the last hope of the common man”. So, I approach the court to interpret why the said person still goes to the NWC. meeting.

“And since ever the matter was published, they went to court and it has been adjourned. I have been getting a series of threats from unknown people threatening to kill me and my family concerning the court I went to just for justice.

“I hurt nobody, so I went to approach the court. Since the court is the last hope of the common man. So, I am calling on all security agencies, the police, the commissioner of police, AIG, and IGP, to please come to my rescue. And, if anything happens to me or my family, the said person should be held responsible.”

It is worth noting that Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, are engaged in an ongoing battle for control of the PDP in Rivers.

This conflict arose less than four months after Fubara’s inauguration.

Additionally, Secondus, Dr Abiye Sekibo, a former Minister of Transportation, and others have been in disagreement with Wike for not supporting Atiku Abubakar, the PDP candidate in the 2023 presidential election.

Recall that Atiku lost the presidential election to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who received surreptitious support from Wike.

In recent media reports, Wike referred to Secondus and other Rivers PDP members who now align with Fubara as “expired politicians” whom he has defeated in the past and will continue to defeat.