PDP names Yemi Akinwonmi acting national chairman

Yemi Akinwonmi, deputy national chairman (south) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been named the acting national chairman of the party.

Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP spokesperson, made the announcement on Thursday after the closed-door meeting of the national working committee (NWC) in Abuja.

“I can clearly say on behalf of our party that we have navigated the turbulence, and today, like you all witnessed, we came to establish that a motion was moved and elder Yemi Akinwonmi was unanimously approved as the acting chairman of our great party,” Ologbondiyan said.

“It is interesting for you and Nigerians to know that this is in line with the provision of our constitution.

“We will hold another NWC meeting tomorrow preparatory to holding our national executive council meeting, which will hold on Saturday.”

Akinwonmi had, on Tuesday, stepped in as the acting chairman of the party, following a court order barring Uche Secondus from parading himself as the PDP national chairman.

On Monday, a high court in Rivers state granted an interim order restraining Secondus from parading himself as the national chairman of the party.

Okogbule Gbasam, the presiding judge, while ruling on a motion ex parte marked PHC/2183/CS/2021, and filed by four persons – Ibeawuchi Alex, Dennis Amadi, Emmanuel Stephen, and Umeziriki Onucha — gave the order.

“That an order of interim injunction is granted restraining the first defendant from parading himself as a member of the second defendant or national chairman of the defendant or performing the functions of national chairman of the second defendant or any committee of the second defendants at ward, local government or state level or calling for any ward, local government or state congress of the second defendant or setting up committees for such congresses or participating in any activity of the second defendant whatsoever, whilst on suspension as a member of the second defendant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction,” the court ruled.

The development comes amid calls for Secondus’ resignation.

Meanwhile, the party has fixed its national convention for October — months before its earlier scheduled date.