UCHE SECONDUS EMERGES PDP NATIONAL CHAIRMAN AS ADENIRAN AND DOKPESI REJECTS THE OUTCOME

A former Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus has emerged as the National Chairman of the party.

Secondus who led candidates on the ‘unity list’ swept all the elective posts at the National Convention of the Party in Abuja.

Chairman of the Electoral Sub-Committee of the convention and former Governor of Benue, Mr. Gabriel Suswam, announced the results and said that the election for chairmanship position was keenly contested by four candidates.

Mr. Suswam said Mr. Secondus scored 2,000 out of 2,396 votes cast at the party’s national convention, which ended in the early hours of Sunday at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

Raymond Dokpesi scored 66; Prof. Tunde Adeniran got 230 votes while Prof. Taoheed Adedoja had no vote.

Mr. Suswam explained that many candidates indicated interest to contest but some of them withdrew from the race earlier, while 5 of them withdrew at the last minute, leaving only 4 persons to contest.

“The four gentlemen that contested were UcheSecondus, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Founder of Daar Communications; Prof. Tunde Adeniran, former Education Minister and Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, former Minister of Sports and Special Duties,” he said.

No fewer than seven chairmanship candidates, who sensed that the election outcome had been pre-arranged by some governors, withdrew from the contest.

The candidates that withdrew were a former Deputy National Chairman, Chief Bode George; a former Governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel; and an erstwhile Governor of Oyo State, Rasheed Ladoja, as well as the PDP governorship candidate in Lagos State in 2015 election Jimi Agbaje.

However, Professor Tunde Adeniran and Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who remained in the race rejected the outcome of the election, ahead of the voting, warning about the consequences to the party, alleging that there was compromise.

Other elected officers on the ‘unity list’ were Sen. Babayo Garmawa, Deputy National Chairman (North); Mr. Yemi Akinwunmi, Deputy National Chairman (South); Sen. Umar Tsauri, National Secretary and Mr. Agbo Emmanuel, Deputy National Secretary.

Also, Retired Col. Austin Akinbundu emerged the National Organising Secretary; Yakubu Hassan, Deputy National Organizing Secretary; Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary and Diran Odeyemi, Deputy National Publicity Secretary.

Mr. Abdullahi Maibasira emerged National Financial Secretar; Irona Gerald, Deputy National Financial Secretary;  Aribisala Adewale, National Treasurer; Wada Masu, Deputy National Treasurer; Adamu Mustapha, National Auditor and Arong Divine, Deputy National Auditor.

The result further showed that Mariya Umar was elected National Women Leader; Umoru Hadiza, Deputy National Women Leader; while Emmanuel Enoidem, National Youth Leader.

The Chairman of the Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Delta, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, commended the Election Sub-Committee for a “job well done.”

He also commended all the candidates and delegates who participated in elections, including party leaders and members for cooperation that ensured the success of the convention.