By Kenneth Onuoha
…..raises alarm over Nigeria’s insecurity
365Daily – The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has unanimously passed a vote of confidence on the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, as well members of the National Working Committee (NWC).
The vote of confidence came about 24 hours after a chieftain of the party and ex-Commissioner of Information in Edo State, Kassim Afegbua, accused Secondus and the NWC of diverting N10B realised from sales of nomination and expression of interest forms for state and federal legislature, gubernatorial and presidential seats.
Afegbua had earlier petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) on the allegation, asking them to act swiftly or else he will resort to redress at a court of law.
The PDP NEC expressed its backing for Secondus and the NWC at an emergency National Executive Committee meeting which held in Abuja on Thursday, April 29, 2021.
It cautioned party members at all levels to be wary of agents of distractions and division while praising the effort of the NWC for being focused and purpose driven in piloting the affairs of the party.
The party stalwarts also raised alarm over the heightened insecurity pervading across the country and expressed dismay over failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government to tackle the menace of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and bloodletting.
A communique issued at the end of the meeting, signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a national state of emergency on security.
The communique read in part: “National Executive Committee (NEC) after its emergency meeting today, Thursday, April 29, 2021, considered crucial issues regarding the programmes of the party, as well as extensively reviewed the state of the nation, especially the escalated insecurity engulfing all parts of our country and resolved as follow:
“NEC lamented the heightened insecurity pervading all parts of our nation due primarily to the misrule of President Muhammed Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as their failure to decisively tackle the menace of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, bloodletting and acts of violence in our country.
“NEC urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately declare a national state of emergency on security.
“NEC also urged President Buhari to, without delay, convoke a national conference on Security so as to galvanise ideas and options to tackle insecurity in our country.
“NEC further commended the efforts of Governors, Senators, House of Representatives members and other officials elected on the platform of the PDP in forcefully seeking solutions to the spate of insecurity in our country.
“With regard to the programmes of our party, NEC expressed satisfaction with the efforts of the NWC in preparation for the November 6 Governorship election in Anambra State and asserted its readiness to do everything possible, within the confines of the law, to win the election.”
The NEC also received reports on the e-registration of members as the NWC announced the membership of the committee set up to conduct the exercise.
According to the communique, the party appointed Edo State Governor, Chief Godwin Obaseki, to serve as Chairman while his Adamawa State counterpart, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, is to serve as Deputy Chairman.
Others statutory members of the committee are the National Organising Secretary, National Treasurer, National Financial Secretary, Deputy National Secretary and the National Publicity Secretary.
Adding that further nominations will be made from the Board of Trustees, the National Assembly, Forum of State Chairmen as well as the youth and women demography of the party.