PDP governors shun pre-launch of e- membership registration portal in Abuja, as leadership crisis deepens

States governors elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) failed to turn up for the official pre-launch of the party’s much-publicised e-registration portal scheduled for last Monday, at its Abuja headquarters.

This is as the leadership crisis rocking the party deepened with increased calls for the resignation of the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus dominating the emergency meeting of its elders and founder which held coincidentally same day.

The party’s governors had met on Monday over after which they announced that the final decision on the fate of Secondus will be taken, Tuesday (Today).

A huge protest was staged at the secretariat on Monday, as protesters demanded Secondus’ exit.

All the 13 PDP governors attended the meeting, which was held at the Akwa Ibom Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.

The governors included: Tambuwal; Darius Ishaku (Taraba); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Godwin Obaseki (Edo); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Bala Mohammed (Bauchi); and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia).

Other were Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa); Duoye Diri (Bayelsa); Ifeanyi Okowa Delta); and Wike.

Report says the situation was so tense that the governors could not even attend the inauguration of the e-Registration platform of the party fixed for that same day.

“The governors have indicated that they will meet with PDP elders (three representatives from each of the six geo-political zones), principal officers of the National Assembly from PDP, former principal officers of the National Assembly, the chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibril, among other stakeholders.

“All those concerned have been notified of the enlarged meeting with the governors on Tuesday (today) in Abuja. These governors technically shifted the D-Day.

Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Tambuwal, who spoke briefly with reporters, said the governors and other stakeholders had resolved to work together in unity in the interest of the party.

Tambuwal declined answering a direct question on whether the party chairman would stay or be removed. The governors invited Secondus to the meeting about 40 minutes before it ended.

A source said the party would have to choose between Secondus and the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who is championing his removal.

Chairman of the PDP e-Registration Committee, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state was billed to perform the pre-launch for public unveiling and demonstration of the procedure for the exercise at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday, August 9.

“The PDP appreciates the massive interest by Nigerians to join the PDP while assuring that the e-registration process is simple and people-oriented.

“The PDP notes that the interest by Nigerians to register as members of the party is in furtherance of their determination to rally on our platform to rescue our dear nation from the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and return her to the path of national cohesion, unity, stability and economic prosperity, which they enjoyed under the PDP administrations,” the party’s Chairman, Publicity Sub-Committee, Kola Ologbondiyan, had announced, earlier Sunday.