Respite came the way of the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, as the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party passed a vote of confidence on his leadership.
The NEC moved the motion just as Secondus asked Prince Kassim Afegbua to retract a damaging allegation against him and as well compensate him with N1billion within 48 hours or face legal action over his petition alleging that the party was unable to account for N10billion belonging to the party during the 2019 general election.
The motion for vote of confidence on Secondus was moved by a former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, and was seconded by aformer minister of foreign affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi at the NEC meeting.
LEADERSHIP reports that NEC is the highest decision-making organ of organ of the PDP.
Recall that Afegbua had accused Secondus of mismanaging the sum of N10 billion which accrued to the party since 2017. He also said that the party chairman used several proxy companies as conduit pipe for syphoning the party’s resources.
But in a new twist of events, Secondus in a letter from his lawyers, Emeka Etiaba Chambers, and addressed to Afegbua through his counsel, Kayode Ajulo and Co, distributed to journalists, he demanded the sum of N10 billion from Afegbua within 48 hours failure to which he will be slammed with a libel suit.
Secondus described the publications as defematory.
The letter reads in part “The above Daily Sun publication of yours portrays our client in bad light and gives notice to the whole world that our client is a fraudster who is incapable of holding the exalted office of the National Chaiman of the PDP.
“The two publications made by you were given prominence on the front pages of the Newspapers you employed for your defamatory actions and the publications were widely circulated and read,”
The letter captured some of the prominent federal political position Secondus held in the past including Chairman, National insurance Commission; Chairman, National Identity Management Commission; Member, Nigerian Railway Board, stating that he kept an umblemished reputation.
“Your publications which you know to be false have therefore brought him to odium and has challenged his right standing in the society as a trustworthy character.
“The above publications were read worldwide and most especially in all nooks and crannies of Nigeria and this fact has been confirmed by the phone calls that have trailed your publications.
“Take notice that if you fail to retract your said publications, apologize to our client in the said Newspapers with the same prominence with which you published the offensive statements and pay the sum N1, 000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) to him as damages (all within 48 hours from the date hereof), we shall proceed to institute an action to seek redress from a Court of competent jurisdiction”.
However, as at the time of filling this report, it could not confirmed if Afegbua has received the lette
