As a result of the crisis plaguing the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, some of its leaders may defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). As a result, on a national level, the PDP is experiencing leadership challenges.
Following the restraining order issued against the party national chairman, Uche Secondus, by a Rivers High Court in Port Harcourt.
The court on Monday barred Mr. Secondus from parading himself as neither the national chairman of the party nor a member.
He said his deliberate decision to take over the reins of the party affairs was to ensure broader consultation in the overall interest of the party.
Quoting section 45 (2) of the PDP constitution, the deputy chairman said he was permitted to oversee the party’s affairs till all issues were resolved.
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“Our attention was drawn yesterday evening to a court order which purports to restrain our National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, from summoning and presiding over the meetings of the organs of the party.
“In the foregoing circumstance, as the deputy National Chairman South of the Peoples Democratic Party, after due consultations and in the exercise of the aforesaid powers, hereby deem it fit and proper to postpone the National Working Committee, NWC, meeting earlier scheduled for today till further notice to allow for broader consultations in the overall interest of our party,” Mr. Akinwonmi, currently recovering from a protracted illness, declared on Tuesday.
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Rivers State Federal High Court removed Prince Uche Secondus, the party’s embattled national chairman. However, another Federal High Court in Kebbi State has reinstated Secondus as the Authentic Party Chairman, despite court rulings that Jonathan should be reinstated. However, party leaders have refused to recognize Secondus as Party Chairman.
Meanwhile, some party leaders, such as state governors and senators, defected to the APC due to the crisis. Three governors have left the party: Ebonyi State Governor Davies Umahi, Cross Rivers State Governor Ben Ayade, and Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle. This is a list of Governors and Senators who had left the party. However, many of the party’s top officials plan to step down from their positions before the 2023 elections.
President GEJ may likely leave.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan is one of the PDP leaders who may leave the party for the APC. APC’s National Caretaker Chairman Mai Mala Buni and other party leaders were said to have visited Jonathan to win him over. On the other hand, Jonathan did not promise the APC leaders that he would leave his party and join the APC.
Olusegun Bamgbose recently reported that Jonathan has made up his mind. Everything is in place for him to switch from the PDP to the APC by the end of the year; according to Further, Bamgbose stated that Goodluck Jonathan will not defect to APC alone, but that he may do so with a Governor and a Senator. However, he did not name any Governor.
APC Leaders had promised Jonathan that he would receive an automatic ticket to the White House if he ran for President on the party’s platform. As a result, Goodluck Jonathan may soon abandon the PDP.
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PDP in the North is not left out
Rabbiu Kwankaso is another PDP leader who may leave the party for the APC before the 2023 presidential election. Mr. Kwankaso was summoned to a meeting with Gov. Abdallah Ganduje and Gov. Mai Mala Buni, the Party’s National Caretaker Chairman. According to reliable sources, they discussed how Kwankaso would ditch the APC for the PDP before the 2023 elections.
Kwankaso, on the other hand, did not promise APC leaders that he would leave the party. Only promising to support Ganduje’s administration in the state, Kwankaso may decide to switch to APC if the PDP Leaders cannot resolve the crisis plaguing their party. As a result, Jonathan and Rabiu Kwankaso, both former presidents, are likely to defect to the APC before the 2023 elections.
