Mr Ike Abonyi, his media adviser disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.

Abonyi said that Uche Secondus was in court to seek justice as well as save the party from manipulations.

“The attention of the media office of Secondus has been drawn to an unsubstantiated report claiming that he is under pressure to withdraw his case against the party from court.

“The truth which the said news did not state is that Secondus is not in court against the party, but was dragged to court by persons bent on hijacking the soul of the party.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the media office wishes to restate that Secondus is really under pressure for justice and will seek it anywhere to save the party from destruction,” he said.

Abonyi said that the party leaders were aware of the situation and knew what to do to rectify the problem.

“Nothing short of justice will save PDP from the current situation.

“For avoidance of doubt, the justice Secondus is seeking is as enshrined in the party’s constitution which is supreme.

“The constitution states clearly how a national chairman and any national officer can be sanctioned even where there is a known breach, talk less of where there is none,” he said.

Source: NAN

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Buhari contested against PDP’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and was declared winner.

PDP and Atiku challenged Buhari’s victory up to the Supreme Court and lost as announced in the verdict delivered on Wednesday.

But reacting to the defeat it suffered along with Atiku, PDP, in a statement by its national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, as issued by his media aide, Ike Abonyi, said everything should be left to God.

He warned that the Supreme Court might have issued a dismissal of its appeal, the final judgement belonged to God.

“Leave it to God the ultimate judge,” he said.

The party applauded Nigerians for their commitment and support.

According to the party, it was commendable that Nigerians were committed to the tenets of democracy in spite of all odds.

Said Secondus in the statement:  “We thank you for your support for PDP, for your commitment to democracy.”

He also praised the press for their commitment to good governance and promotion of democratic values.

He urged Nigerians to continue to pray to God to rescue the country from its present state.

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This is as it alleged that there were plans going on between INEC and the All Progressives Congress, APC, to rig.

The plot, the party said, was through the plan to use of lecturers loyal to the APC as presiding and returning officers in the election.

The National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, made the allegation in Kebbi State during the presidential campaign of the party monitored by FrontPage. 

He said the party had been reliably informed that APC had submitted the names of people to be used in the electoral process.

According to him, such an arrangement would not be condoned and the Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, would be held responsible for any anomaly in the process.

His words:  “We want to warn the INEC, especially the INEC chairman that he should note that a central collection of presiding and returning officers is going to create confusion and he will be held accountable.

“We have been informed reliably that APC government has submitted a comprehensive list to his office, and those lecturers that he is taking are from APC government.

“It has never happened like this before, and so we want to warn that Yakubu should stop rigging election before election day.

“We will not accept any rigged election and results.”

Secondus also expressed optimism that with the huge crowd at the rally in Kebbi, the PDP’s presidential candidate would emerge the winner of the election.

“I believe that PDP will take over the rein of affairs of our great country,” he said.

According to him, PDP’s candidate, Atiku, was the best candidate for the post of the president.

“He has been tried, he has been tested, he is very successful in private sector, and also successful in the public sector.  That man is the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku.  He will work for 24 hours; he will put his experience on display to provide food on the table of Nigerians, and also to create jobs for our teeming youths,” he said.

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The two candidates appeared on the programme at different times to state what their programmes would be ahead of the coming general election.

They answered questions from the anchor, Kadaria Ahmed during the programme which is organised by MacArthur Foundation in collaboration with Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, and DARIA media.

While Atiku and his running mate, Peter Obi, featured on the programme on Wednesday, January 30, Buhari and his running mate, Yemi Osinbajo, appeared on the programme on Wednesday, January 16.

The two candidates were drilled in question and answer sessions.

But speaking at the presidential campaign of Atiku on Thursday in Asaba, Delta State, monitored by FrontPage,  Secondus did an assessment of the two candidates based on their performances.

He concluded that from all indications, it was obvious that Atiku was a better candidate.

He said while Buhari crumbled in the face of the questions fired by the anchor, Atiku was stronger.

Addressing the crowd in a mixture of English and the pidgin version, Secondus said:  “Did you see him (Atiku) on television last night?  Did you also see Buhari the other day? Who won? (the crowd shouted, Atiku)….

“You know he (Buhari) couldn’t answer questions when that woman fire am.  But when the woman fired our president (Atiku), the best came out of him.  You can see the president who can engage.”

Secondus also seized the opportunity to warn the Independent National Electoral Commission against rigging in the coming election.

He promised the people of Delta that Nigeria would be a better place if Atiku is voted in.

Addressing the crowd, Atiku thanked the people of the state for continuously making Delta a PDP state.

He said all the infrastructure the roads, hospitals, schools in the state were built by PDP government.

He said there would therefore be no reason for the people of the state to vote for another party.

“Let me tell you my commitment to Delta State if you elect me as your president.  Your ports that have been abandoned, I will reactivate the ports in Delta.  I will make sure that those ports are working and create jobs.

“Secondly, all the infrastructure projects started by the government that have been abandoned because you are a PDP state, I will complete them.  You have been loyal to PDP.  So, we will pay loyalty.

“These people called APC just came to deceive us.  Everything they promised, they failed to deliver.  They failed to deliver on economy; they failed to deliver on security; they failed to deliver on jobs.  Why would you vote for them for God’s sake.  So, I appeal to you to continue voting for PDP,” Atiku said.

Atiku’s running mate, Peter Obi; Senate President, Bukola Saraki; the host governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, all took turn to address the crowd, campaigning for Atiku.

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The campaign train was scheduled to reach Benue State on Saturday before the announcement of the decision.

In a statement issued by its National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, the party declared that democracy had been attacked in view of the action of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The basis for this election is the democracy itself. When democracy comes under this kind of virulent attack, then the election itself becomes superfluous,” Secondus said.

Onnoghen was suspended by the president on Friday as CJN and replaced by Justice Tanko Mohammed by the president.

It would be recalled that Onnoghen has a case before the Code of Conduct Tribunal over alleged non-declaration of assets.

Speaking against the decision of the president, Secondus said:  “Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council has suspended its presidential campaign in protest of President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to suspend the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen.

“The PDP Campaign Council further predicated the suspension of its campaign activities in solidarity with Nigerians in our collective rejection of the assault against our democratic order.

“The basis for this election is the democracy itself. When democracy comes under this kind of virulent attack, then the election itself becomes superfluous.”

The party’s chairman stated further:  “In the first instance, we are suspending our campaign for 72 hours. It is our hope that President Buhari will listen to the voice of all lovers of democracy the world over and restore democracy in Nigeria immediately and without qualifications. At the moment, the President has effectively suspended the constitution under whose basis the elections are being contested.

“The action of President Buhari represents a constitutional breach and a direct attack on our democracy. This must never be allowed to stand, as there is no way by which democracy can survive under these autocratic tendencies.

“We call on all well meaning Nigerians to rise in defence of democracy and save our nation from this imminent slide into tyranny.”

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The reason, he said, was for their selfish interests.

He said it was obvious that the president was tired and could not stand the rigour of running the country any longer.

Secondus who spoke at the inauguration of members of the presidential election committees at the PDP campaign office, Abuja, also accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, government of gross incompetence.

His words:  “There is no way this President can cope given what we are witnessing and added to the incompetence in leadership Nigerians have been seeing in the last three years. For selfish reasons, these power grabbers are putting undue pressure on the President even as it’s evident that he can no longer cope.”

Secondus also reiterated the fear of his party over the ability of the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a free and fair election in 2019.

According to him, that was because “the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, lacks the will and courage to ignore the pressure from the APC to conduct free and transparent elections.”

Secondus, however, warned that Yakubu should know that he would be held responsible if the coming election was rigged.

He said it was in the bid to prevent the rigging of the coming election that the PDP had called for the resignation of Amina Zakari.

The INEC commissioner, the party had alleged, was related to President Buhari and could rig in his favour.

The claim has since been denied.

“We called for her resignation from the commission but instead they appointed her as the chief collation officer, we must continue to oppose her because we have evidence of what she did in Ekiti and Osun states,” the PDP national chairman said.

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The plan, the party said, was by the federal government, using EFCC, to arrest key personalities including its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; his running mate, Peter Obi, and its National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.

Others are Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

According to the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Secondus, Mr. Ike Abonyi, the national chairman of the PDP, made the allegation of the plot to cripple his party.

He quoted Secondus as warning the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, to be careful or risk causing chaos in the country through the plot to “frame up” the PDP chieftains.

Secondus, while sounding a note of warning, said Magu and others who might be “willing to assist the APC in undermining democracy should look back at history and know that the consequences are always not palatable.” “The country is on a keg of gunpowder at the moment as a result of your (Magu) hatchet job for the ruling government and I warn you to get away from this illegitimate job of using instruments of state to harass and intimidate opponents,” Secondus said.

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The party complained that while Yakubu had been unable to conduct free and fair elections, Idris had allowed the police to be used to scuttle democratic processes.

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Uche Secondus, who announced the vote of no confidence called on Yakubu and Idris to resign.

Secondus spoke during the PDP National Executive Committee meeting held in Abuja.

He added that Nigerians would rise to defend the democratic values of the country.

Said he:  “We want to do this advance warning that we are lovers of democracy and peace.

“We want the peace of our nation; so, let them note all they have done, even in the case of Kwara and Bauchi, where we warned clearly that they announced different results.

“That will no longer be acceptable. We therefore call on the INEC leadership headed by Prof. Yakubu to quietly resign because he does not have strong will and courage to conduct free and fair election.

“We also call on the IGP to resign and go because I have never witnessed in the history of our nation, from the First Republic even in the military regime, we have never seen this kind of act and the way and manner the police force have been used by the government of APC against the people.

“Our people are being killed on a daily basis and as I speak with you, leaders of PDP have been earmarked to be murdered and killed.

“The country will rise to defend the values of our founding fathers, and of our democracy.

“We must defend. We are not afraid. If you want a nation to be rescued from hunger, killings, we must be ready.”

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He described the protest an indication of the freedom of assembly, movement and expression as guaranteed by the constitution of the country.

Some chieftains of the PDP, led by its National Chairman, Uche Secondus, led a protest march to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Nigeria Police Force over alleged rigging of the Osun State governorship election held recently.

PDP alleged that the police and INEC colluded to rig the election in favour of Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The party said PDP’s Ademola Adeleke was the winner of the election and should be declared as such.

However, the spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, Mr. Jimoh Moshood, later in the day on the directive of the Inspector General of Police invited Saraki, Bruce and Melaye to report to its office on Monday over alleged public disturbance.

The police claimed that the senators attacked some of its personnel and caused public disturbance.

But in a swift reaction in a statement issued by his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said the police lied.

He described as laughable the claim of the security agency.

His words:  “After carefully reading the Police statement, one cannot but describe the claims made in it as laughable, crude and another low point in the posture of the police against the opposition in the country.

“In exercise of their constitutional right of assembly, expression and movement, leaders of the PDP decided to stage a peaceful procession from the party’s campaign office on Ibrahim Babangida Way to INEC and Police Headquarters. The procession consisted of the Senate President, the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, presidential aspirants, members of the National Assembly, Governors of Ekiti and Sokoto states. Later, the Governors of Taraba and Gombe states joined the procession.

“The purpose was to express the opposition of the PDP to the manner in which the electoral body and the security agencies had been colluding with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate election results and subvert the will of the people, as evidenced by the conduct of the gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun State. We wanted to send a clear signal that such official subversion of the will of the people in favour of the APC should not be repeated in the 2019 elections…

“The procession did not even get to the point where it will turn to the side where the Police Force Headquarters is located when the police rained tear gas on the people. They deliberately targetted the open vans in which the Senate President and other VIPs were standing.”

Claiming that the invitation to the senators in the protest march, including himself, was an attack on the Senate, Saraki said:  “It should be noted that the Police under Idris are simply setting the stage for another onslaught on members of the Nigerian Senate and that is why they singled out the Senate President and two other Senators as the people being invited and accused of all these false charges.”

Saraki said that the senators as well as others would not be disturbed by the action of the police and would continue to exercise their rights without any inhibition.

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