Why I was absent at PDP NEC meeting — Secondus

The embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, has explained reasons for his absence from the National Executive Council meeting of the party in Abuja on Saturday.

Secondus offered the explanation on Saturday in a statement by his Media Office, signed by his Media Aide, Ike Abonyi.

While saying that he remains the National Chairman of the PDP and that the mandate given to him at the party’s National Convention in Abuja on December 9, 2017 remains intact until his four-year tenure expires in December this year, Secondus went further to clarify why he did not preside over the NEC meeting.

He was not at the party’s 92nd NEC meeting held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Saturday.

This came amid speculations that he had been removed from office.

However, Secondus said his absence was in obedience of an interim order from a Cross River State High Court.

The statement by Abonyi said: “The media office of Prince Uche Secondus wishes to correct erroneous news circulating that he has stepped down as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“Prince Secondus, by his unavoidable absence at the party’s National Executive Committee meeting on Saturday, was merely obeying an interim order from Cross River State High Court.

“As a law-abiding citizen, who has been an adherent of the rule of law as a basis for democracy, stayed away out of respect for the courts.

“Prince Secondus’ four-year mandate to lead the party, given on December 10, 2017, ends by December 2021.

“By this release, media office wishes to urge media houses and members of the public, particularly beloved members of PDP, to disregard any news suggesting that he has stepped down.”

Secondus had his deputy, Yemi Akinwonmi, preside over the NEC meeting.

He gave the directive in a memo to Akinwonmi.

The memo, titled: “NEC meeting of Saturday, August 28, 2021,” read: “I hereby request you to preside over the National Executive Committee of the party, taking place today, 28th August 2021 @12 noon, in my absence. Thank you.”