By Jude Opara

In the main opposition-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the saying that in politics there are no permanent friends but only permanent interest is clearly playing out given the seeming breakdown of the once rosy relationship between the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state.

Interestingly, both men are from the same Rivers and equally of the same Igbo speaking extraction.

The argument proffered then by Wike’s acolytes was that with five states of the South-South region controlled by the PDP while the entire South-West apart from Ekiti state were then controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC), it was only logical for the region where the party had its backbone to produce the National Chairman.

But the question now is what has gone wrong? Why has the two allies suddenly turned political foes? It is understandable that contestations and rivalries are part of the ingredients easily found in any political party.  

Prince Secondus officially has only till December 9 to hold his position because the PDP is billed to have its National Convention on that very day. Many analysts have wondered why the sudden move to get him out of office with barely four month to end of his tenure.

It must be stated that the PDP right from inception has the unenviable tradition of shoving their National Chairmen out of office before the end of their tenure. While some were forced to resign, others were summarily shown the exit door by the party.

Some analysts have argued that what made it possible for the PDP to do away with their chairmen then was because they were the party in power with the ability to mobilize the needed opposition to do what they want to do and stabilize. But as an opposition party the idea may become counterproductive because Secondus also has his own band of supporters who may have the ability to withstand the pressure from the members who are calling for his head.

According to sources, the bone of contention between Wike and Secondus is about who gets what position in 2023. While the speculation is high that Governor Wike is angling to pair with his friend and colleague in Sokoto State, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal to run for the presidency, Secondus on the other hand is also said to be eying to replace Wike at the Bricks House in Port Harcourt.

Wike is widely believed to have decided to hand over power to somebody from the waterside part of the state, either the Ogonis or the kalabaris. He is said to have felt a moral burden to let power rotate to the other parts of the state instead of his Ikwere side. Since 1999, most of the governors of the state are from the same part including Dr. Peter Odili, Celestine Omehia, Chibuike Amaechi are all from the same side also known as upland.

Another school of thought believes that with his anticipated presidential ambition, Wike wants to stop Secondus from getting a second term because there is no way the same state or even zone that produces the National Chairman will again produce the presidential candidate of the party.

However, last week we saw the members of Board of Trustees (BoT) and the Concerned PDP elders led by David Mark moving to arrest the crisis.

But like what is usually applicable with politicians, that effort seems not to have yielded much because it is still not yet respite for the embattled National Chairman.

On Monday, a group under aegis of the PDP Youths protested at the national secretariat of the PDP in Abuja. The protesters were carrying placards bearing different inscriptions like: ‘Secondus must go; Secondus is a tax collector; Secondus is a mole planted to destroy the PDP’ amongst many others.

Interestingly, the same day the governors elected on the platform of the PDP were in a crisis meeting in Abuja. The meeting which held at the residence of the Akwa Ibom State governor, Udom Emmanuel lasted into the night. Though, the meeting was inconclusive, it was gathered that even the governors were divided along their different interest lines.

While, those who want to see the back of the embattled National Chairman canvassed for his resignation, the others who wither were indifferent or not favourable argued that the man should be allowed to see off his tenure which ends on December 9, 2021. Those who want Secondus to stay put believe such could save the party another round of self-induced crisis which may bigger than having him in office.

For instance, there is the apprehension that forcing secondus out may result in litigations and they believe that given the fact that the All Progressives Congress (APC) who will be happy to have the main opposition in crisis will use everything within their control to worsen the crisis.

There is equally another school of thought who believes that the whole idea of the call for his exit is a way of foreclosing any dream by Secondus to re-contest during the forthcoming convention in December. The idea is that with the barrage of opposition to his stay in office, a second term dream will be pipe dream.

The opposition to the continuous stay in office of Secondus has continued to mount with a group of members of the House of Representatives coming out to join in the call for the exit of the Chairman.

But the embattled Chairman seems to have a shoulder to lean on as it appears the state chairmen are solidly behind him. One of such vocal supporters is Francis Orogu, the Chairman of the party in Nasarawa state who has come out to demand why Secondus was being singled out for persecution.

Speaking on a television programme monitored in Abuja, Orogu wondered why those claiming that Secondus has failed are not also calling for the head of the entire NWC and even the BoT. He further posited that there is more to the sudden castigation of the Chairman than meets the eyes.

 Interestingly, the man at the centre of it all, Uche Secondus stunned or do I say must have angered his traducers when he on Monday declared that he was not going to resign. He challenged those asking him to hang himself to show him the part of the party’s constitution that empowers them to ask him to quit.

However, there is a mid-way approach which party sources say may likely be the decider. The governors and the elders and other critical stakeholders may have settled that while Secondus retains his seat, the National Convention which was supposed to take place about December 9, 2021 may be brought forward. This is to make it easier for everyone concerned to retain some pride that they have succeeded in taking something away.

Also, it is believed that Secondus will not contest the election whenever it will hold. If that happens, it also means that those who suddenly rose against him may have scored another goal because there are talks in certain quarters that the main reason behind the onslaught against the Chairman is to ensure that he becomes very unmarketable when the Convention holds.

Of course, with the barrage of criticism that has trailed his handling of party affairs, whether rightly or wrongly, it will be a hard sell because who want him out will certainly not go to bed. In fact they will intensify their effort and indeed it will be foolhardy for Secondus to waste his time and resources to purchase the expression of interest form.

People like Governor Wike who are allegedly leading the onslaught against Secondus will be ready to break the banks to ensure that he does not smell that seat a second time. In fact surviving this attack if it happens is a huge plus for him.

Nevertheless, no matter what happens, this typical of the PDP, they know how to kick their Chairman out even with ignominy. In fact some analysts believe that Secondus lasted this far probably because the party is now in opposition and may not have much patronage like the party in control of the federal government.

After the Secondus debacle, it is still to be seen when and where the next battle will be coming from.