By Tonye Bacanista
1. May 20, 2015 – Adamu Muazu resigned ad PDP Chairman after a disastrous outing at the 2015 General election. Prince Uche Secondus, the Deputy Chairman stepped up in acting capacity. He was supposed to act until August 20, 2015 at most, and pave way for a new Chairman from the Northeast to complete the tenure – he refused.
NOTE: As at that time, Nyesom Wike was not a Governor, neither was he a member of NEC.
2. December 15, 2015 – Alhaji Ahmed Gulak obtained a FCT High Court judgement sacking Uche Secondus and mandated the PDP to appoint a new Chairman from Northeast zone within 14 days. It orders Gulak to takeover PDP leadership if PDP flout the order.
3. January 28, 2016: Ultimatum expired, Gulak stormed PDP Secretariat in company of DOYIN OKUPE and some aides of former President Goodluck Jonathan to proclaim himself the new PDP National Chairman.
4. January 29, 2016 – PDP Governors led by Governor Olusegun Mimiko (PDP Governors Forum Chairman & Governor of Ondo State) stepped in. They chided Secondus for not abiding by the FCT court order. They asked to handover to Prof. Wale Oladipo, the National Secretary.
NOTE: That was the first time post-2015 that PDP Governors would be involved in the leadership process of the Party. Nyesom Wike was barely seven months in his first term as governor.
,5. February 16, 2016 – PDP NEC approves recommendation of the National Caucus on the recommendation of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as National Chairman to complete Northeast tenure (2012-2016). Before Sheriff’s selection, Nuhu Ribadu was the favorite pick, but he refused to attend screening. That left Sheriff and Wilberforce Juta (Adamawa State) as the frontliners for position. Sheriff was picked because Wilberforce Juta is a Christian just as the Party’s Deputy Chairman, Uche Secondus.
NOTE: Wike was not part of the Northeast Caucus that nominated Sheriff as he was not from the zone. The zone had Governors Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe) and Darius Ishaku Taraba). Wike only supported and defended the position of the Party’s NEC.
6. March 2016 – Sheriff’s NWC tenure to expire, PDP Leaders extended it till May 21 when a new convention will elect new leadership. PDP Governors (again chaired by Olusegun Mimiko) and mainstream leaders approved Sheriff to return as Chairman. Although some stakeholders were against Sheriff stay as Chairman.
7. May 17, 2016 – Sheriff obtained order from Justice Okon Abang of FHC Abuja stopping PDP from holding election into the office of Chairman, Secretary or National Auditor. The suit was mischievous because at that time no one was contesting the Chairmanship with him. The next day, Sheriff denied knowledge of the suit, and released a public statement dissociating himself from the suit.
8. May 21, 2016 – The D-Day of the National Convention in Portharcourt. PDP Lawyers advised against flouting the court order, proposed the dissolution of the NWC and appointment of a Caretaker Committee for three months by the National Convention. Sheriff was first considered to Chair the Committee, but his name was dropped as the Party leaders wanted someone that is accepted by both pro and anti-Sheriff group. Makarfi was eventually picked to head the Committee. Sheriff seeing that he was not chosen to lead the Caretaker Committee, left Portharcourt to declare the Natipnal Convention illegal. He cited the judgement of Justice Okon Abang. At that point, PDP Governors and leaders realised that Sheriff had ulterior motive as enumerated by those against his initial choice. That was the beginning of Sheriff Must Go Crusade.
NOTE: While Wike was barely a year as governor, he chiefly carried the Party’s liabilities and was the most vocal then. As observed it was not Wike that brought Sheriff, neither was he that sought his removal – contrary to the falsehood that Wike brought and removed Sheriff at will.
WATCH OUT FOR PART 2…
