Suspended Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus on Thursday faulted his suspension, saying that only the National Executive Committee (NEC) has the power to discipline him or any member of the National Working Committee (NWC).
He said those who purportedly suspended him acted contrary to Article 59 (3) of the PDP Constitution, which is clear on the party’s disciplinary measures.
But, defending the suspension, Rivers State PDP Chairman Ambassador Desmond Akawor said the party chairman was ousted because of his refusal to pay his dues in the last four years.
Akawor, who spoke in Port Harcourt, said Secondus jeopardised his party membership, following his refusal to pay dues.
He said Secondus worked against the interest of the party in the state by balkanising members of his Ward 5, including issuing a directive that the former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Davies Ikanya, whose defection to PDP was considered a big harvest, should not be registered in his ward.
He said: “On June 5th, I wrote a letter to all wards that they should furnish us with the names of the party members that are dead and party members that have not paid their dues including those that had defected for one reason or the other.
“Among the wards that responded was Ward 5 in Andoni. And it clearly showed that he (Secondus) had not paid his dues for the past four years. It is an offence in our party.
“For six consecutive months, if you have not paid your dues, your membership of the party is questionable. That issue was kept pending because we had to approach the national to present some of these issues.”
Read Also: Mark panel links PDP crisis to Wike, Secondus
Akawor added: “In his presence, intervention took place and he agreed on all the words that were put down only for him the following week to go globetrotting going from Niger to Ota to continue the course and saying that all that they had agreed was no longer possible.
“In that case what do you do? He’s not ready to listen to the elders, of course, he is equally not ready to look at the constitution of the party.
THE NATION
