$2.1bn arms deal: Resign, PDP deputy officers urge Haliru, Metuh

National officers of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP have asked the Acting Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, Dr.  Bello Haliru Mohammed and the National Publicity Secretary,  Chief Olisa Metuh to resign now from their various positions.The PDP deputy officers who made the statement yesterday in Abuja said that the resignation has become imperative because of their alleged involvement in the disbursement of $2.1 billion meant for procurement of arms and ammunition.

In a statement signed by the Deputy National Organising Secretary, Okey Nnaedozie; Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi Jalo; Deputy National Youth leader, Barrister Basher Maidugu and Deputy National youth leader, Dennis Alonge Niyi, said that they should step aside to save the PDP from any further damage, adding that  the charges against them were in their individual capacities and not acting on behalf of the Party.

The deputies who also called for a thorough investigation of the party from 2012 till date, however asked the Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus to revert to his position as deputy National Chairman because of court’s ruling, just as they declared the proposed National convention slated for March this year as illegal, saying that the tenure of the present leadership would end August 2017.

Meanwhile, the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus who dismissed the body as non existence, said they were being used by the All Progressives Congress, APC to destabilize the PDP, saying that the party will not be distracted by their actions.

Secondus who noted that the deputies were ignorant of the party’s constitution as he was only acting said, “They took us to court and we have appealed. They are ignorant of the law. The Constitution is clear that in the absence of chairman, the deputy assumes position. They are doing it out of malice and ignorance. They are beiung used by the other party to destabilise us, but we aren’t going to be distracted,  we are strong.
“I haven’t assumed the office of chairman I am still the deputy chairman. I am only administering in acting capacity. They aren’t the authorised organ of the party. There is nothing like association of deputies.”