Rimamnde Kwewum (PDP, Taraba), a member of the House of Representatives, has urged the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, to resign in the face of mass defections hitting the party.

Mr Kwewum, who represents Donga/Takum/Wusa federal constituency of Taraba State, cited “increasing weakness, incoherence and daily loss of members to the ruling party” as the reason for the call.

The call for the resignation was contained in a letter Mr Kwewum wrote to the PDP Chairman. The letter was dated July 6 and addressed to Mr Secondus.

Mr Kwewum said the leaders of the opposition in the House are tired of protesting daily defection as he made reference to the recent defection of four lawmakers from Zamfara State.

“Today (Tuesday), not unexpectedly, four members of the House of Representatives from Zamfara State denounced the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and defected to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). Unlike other times, when leaders of the party in the House (both the Minority Caucus Leadership and the House PDP Caucus Leadership), put up some form of protest, not a whisper was heard or a hand raised in protest against the decamping!”

He said that while Governor Nyesome Wike was selling the candidacy of Mr Secondus, it was on ability to deliver, adding that the party does not have what it takes to take back the centre.

“When the Governor of Rivers State HE Nyesome Wike sought the support of members of the House of Representatives for your candidacy of the National Chairmanship of the Party, he extolled your virtues of tenacity and commitment to the party and our hope, then, to win the 2019 elections. He said you were the most experienced and loyal person who would commit everything to the success of the party. Indeed, and according to him, the relentless pursuit of success would be the guide of your actions.

“The PDP, as you very well know, ought to represent the hope of Nigerians for a new future and to, at the very least, provide some formidable resistance and pull from the brink that the APC government has tragically brought Nigeria to. Unfortunately, the increasing weakness, incoherence, and daily loss of membership of our party to the ruling party have contributed to the general feeling of hopelessness in the country.

Mr Kwewum said the Secondus-led National Working Committee cannot lead the reconciliation effort because they are enmeshed in controversies.

“You and the current national working committee members will be unable to lead the reconciliation process because you are unfortunately enmeshed in several current controversies,” the lawmaker said.

Gale of defections

On Wednesday, a member of the House, Jonathan Gaza, also resigned from the PDP and moved to the APC.

Defection is almost a weekly activity in the House. There have been eight defections in the last five legislative days.

In addition, three governors in the opposition party have moved to the APC. They are Dave Umahi of Ebonyi, Ben Ayade of Cross River and Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State.

Credit- premium Times