It was merriment and jubilation on Wednesday as Prince Uche Secondus, frontline chairmanship contender of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stormed Wadata Plaza to submit his nomination form.

Amidst chants of “Total Chairman, Change the Change”, Secondus’ entourage comprising of top party leaders from all over the 36 states and Abuja, had a hectic time moving to the hall where the party leadership was already waiting.

Inside the hall, the party’s Director of Organisation and Mobilization, Chief Fatona Adewale, and other staff of the secretariat were elated and jubilant meeting the Prince of the Delta again. He was known to be a God-fearing leader throughout his time as Organising Secretary, Deputy National Chairman and Acting National Chairman.

Fatona, who welcomed the entourage on behalf of the party leadership, recalled how Secondus used to kneel down to pray for 30 minutes every morning when he resumed for work at Wadata Plaza.

Recalling the Prince’s many contributions to the making of PDP, the Director said it was a privilege and honour welcoming the “Total Chairman” back to Wadata.

PDP’s National Organising Secretary, Senator Abdul Ningi, in his remarks affirmed that the leadership of the party has no preferred aspirant among those seeking the chairmanship, pledging that “the party will guarantee a level playing field for all contenders.”

He warned aspirants against unwarranted attacks on the party leadership, insisting that the leadership has not done anything to favour any aspirant from any zone.

While admonishing aspirants to be focussed on wooing delegates to the forthcoming National Convention, Ningi said any serious aspirant should use his time to sell himself to the delegates instead of seeking scapegoats even when the race has not started.

“Go and win your state for the party. Go and entrench the party in your state. Stop attacking us here,” he warned.

He emphasised that any aspirants who submitted their forms would be received by the secretariat and “we will tell the world what he has contributed to the party.

“We will not campaign for any of you but we will let the world know your antecedents. To that end, we pay homage to Secondus, a total chairman with tremendous commitment to the party.

“You have sacrificed a lot for the party. You are still making sacrifices. Your zone is ours and we know you can sacrifice anything for the sake of the party. You know the PDP and the PDP knows you. If we fail to acknowledge your contributions to PDP, we will be highly unfair to you.”

Responding, Prince Secondus reaffirmed his faith in the greatness of PDP despite what he called “the blackmail and accusations”, calling on all leaders “to embrace politics without bitterness for the greatness of the party.”

Continuing, he said: “I will not blackmail anybody. I will not attack anybody. I urge those attacking me to woo the delegates. This party is for all of us. I respect all the leaders and I pledge to run a decent, mature campaign.

“I am not desperate for this office and that is why I have vowed never to fight anybody. If I win, fine. If not I will support whoever wins.

“I join the race because I think we need to hit the ground running. In less than nine months preparations for general elections will start. With my experience in that office, we will start the winning process.”

Delivering the vote of thanks, former House Deputy Speaker, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, narrated Secondus’ antecedents of lifelong service to PDP. Secondus, according to Ihedioha, is the best among all those seeking the office because of the singular fact that his sacrifices in Port Harcourt accounted for the continued existence of PDP today.

“We assure the party leadership that Secondus will cooperate with the leadership and play according to the rules,” Ihedioha stressed.

•Bisi Ezekiel is of the Secondus Media Office. Photo shows PDP National Chairmanship Aspirant, Prince Uche Secondus (R), presenting his Nomination Form to a representative of the PDP National Caretaker Chairman, Sen. Abdul Ningi (M), in Abuja on Wednesday. With them is PDP National Women Leader, Hadiza Adado.

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