Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday, distanced himself from the growing calls for the removal of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus.
Seven members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) had on Tuesday resigned from the party’s key organ.
They listed poor handling of the party affairs and poor leadership by Secondus as some of the reasons behind their decision to quit the NWC.
There were insinuations that the PDP chairman’s fate was sealed during a recent meeting between Atiku and the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt.
But the ex-Vice President, who reacted to the claim in a statement issued by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, said he is only interested in the peace and stability of the PDP.
The statement read: “It is a beer parlour talk, it is also mischievous. Why will a former Vice President be behind the plot to sack PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus? What will be his interest?
“This is someone who has commenced the process of having conversations with stakeholders of the party on reconciliation. A man who has encouraged processes aimed at ensuring peace and stability in the party.
“The trip he made to Port Harcourt came after a one in Delta. And he has more in the offing. Why will he promote peace and stability in the party and be behind moves to sack Secondus? It’s ridiculous for anyone to talk about this.
“Atiku understands the Constitution of the PDP and what the party says about tenure for party leadership. So he cannot be working against something that he understands and promotes. That is not how democrats behave. Those are anti-democratic behaviour and that is not who he is. Whoever is saying this, should know that this is a beer parlour talk and unnecessary mischief.
“The crisis in PDP is related, we cannot isolate one from the other. He (Atiku) recognizes that there are issues, like in every party administration. When you have more than two persons, people will have different positions. So, the important thing is how to resolve them. And he has commenced the movement to resolve the issues.
“Atiku is an individual, yes a major stakeholder in the party, and he has taken steps to bring everybody together to see how these issues can be peacefully resolved. They are all related, either the one that happens now or before. They are all part of the larger problem facing the party.”
