The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, has lamented that some strong party chieftain was bent on hijacking the party.

According to a statement on Wednesday he said that reports reaching him indicated that this chieftain was deploying all devious means to try and diminish the person and character of with a view to having his way of ultimately hijacking the structure for his disproportionately large ambition.

Recalled that seven deputy national officers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday resigned their positions as members of the National Executive Council.

The seven national officers are Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Diran Odeyemi; Deputy National Legal Adviser, Ahmed Bello; Deputy National Women Leader, Umoru Hadizat; Deputy National Auditor Divine Amina Arong; Deputy National Organizing Secretary, Hassan Yakubu; and Deputy National Financial Secretary, Irona Alphonsus.

The Special Adviser on Media, Ike Abonyi, said that the media office of the National Chairman is privy to intelligence that the strong party chieftain bent on hijacking the party structure for destruction is still on the loose with the main agenda of denting the image of Prince Uche Secondus the National Chairman.

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He said: “Reports reaching this office shows clearly that this character is deploying all devious means to try and diminish the person and character of the National Chairman with a view to having his way of ultimately hijacking the structure for his disproportionately large ambition.

“We, therefore, wish to alert the general public particularly media houses and party stakeholders to look out for strange deployment of luring gifts from this destructive ‘Father Christmas’ all aimed at having a grip on the soul of our party by having a caretaker Committee.

“What continues to shock many party observers is the real reason behind the desperation of this man to get at the National Chairman and the quantum of public funds being expended to achieve this illicit goal a few months to the National Convention.

“Few months to National Convention anybody who means well for this party and who is a true democrat should respect the constitution of the party and approach issues dispassionately.

“Prince Secondus through the media office however wishes to assure all critical stakeholders of our great party that every reasonable step is being taken to ensure that the image and status of the party are not injured by all these needless noise and scheming by desperadoes.”

Also on Wednesday an elder and chieftain of the PDP, Dr Nnamdi Onochie, weighed in on the current crisis in the party, pleading with contending forces to bury the hatchet and close ranks, to save the party.

Onochie, a long-standing member of the main opposition PDP said that unity, reconciliation and peaceful co-existence were needed at this point in time to save the party from implosion and destruction.

He argued that it would be a costly mistake for the party’s chieftains to engage in bickering with one another with another general election drawing near.

In a statement entitled: “Crisis in PDP National Working Committee NWC)’’, released in Abuja on Wednesday, the elder statesman called on the NWC and other stakeholders of the party to rise to the challenge and resolve their differences in the interest of the party and the nation.

He pleaded with party members to remain calm, asking Nigerians to rally round the PDP at its trying moment “to guarantee the redemption of Nigeria.

“I have been made aware of the ongoing division in our party at the national headquarters of our party in Abuja.

“It’s normal in a family for things like this to happen. However, I believe that sooner than later, the matter will be resolved amicably.

“I want to use this opportunity to call on Nigerians to rally round the PDP at this trying moment.’’

According to him, virile opposition is the only foundation and structure on which a thriving democracy can survive.

“In the current situation of economic hardships, insecurity and other crisis in Nigeria, there is no room for trial and error of new political structures.

“Therefore, all patriotic Nigerians must encourage speedy resolution and reconciliation in the PDP to enable the party to focus on how to redeem the country from the throes of its current problems.

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The PDP was the party in power in Nigeria from 1999 to 2015 when the now ruling All Progressives Congress defeated the party and took over power.