The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has refuted claims that he has stepped down from his position.
According to a statement released by his media aide, Ike Abonyi, the embattled chairman disclosed that he was only absent from the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting in accordance with an order by a Cross River state High Court which bars him from posing as the chairman of PDP.
He added that he will remain chairman of the party until the end of his tenure in December.
The statement read: “Prince Secondus by his unavoidable absence at the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, 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 rule of law as a basis for democracy, stayed away in 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.”
Following his suspension as party chairman by the Cross River High Court, Secondus was reinstated by a Kebbi state High Court on the 27th of August, 2021.
The court, presided by Justice Nusrat Umar gave the order in Birinin-Kebbi, the state capital on Thursday.
In the case, cited as KB/AC/M. 170/2021, Justice Umar said she was satisfied after reading the affidavit of the respondents.
She said it was necessary to issue an interim order on the purported suspension of Prince Secondus pending the determination of the case.
The order read: “An order of this Honourable court granting leave to the first respondent (Uche Secondus) to continue exercising all the constitutional powers of the office of Chairman of PDP (second defendant) as enshrined in both 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended and the Peoples Democratic Party’s constitution pending the hearing and final determination of applicant’s motion on notice.
“Any further order(s) as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”
