24th February, 2016
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arrested and detained the deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, for allegedly receiving 23 choice vehicles from billionaire businessman, Jide Omokorare who is believed to be an associate of ex-Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
He was also grilled for about eight hours on the same curious gifts.
Secondus’s detention has created panic in PDP because some leaders of the party allegedly benefitted from the vehicles’ allocation.
Secondus served as the acting national chairman of the PDP following the exit of Adamu Mu’azu.
In reaction to his arrest, the PDP issued a statement condemning the federal government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The party alerts the nation that the arrest and detention of its Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is part of the grand script by the APC-led Federal Government to decimate the opposition,” PDP national legal adviser, Victor Kwon said.
The party said it has learnt of plans to arrest and detain its other leaders like the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio and others on what it described as imaginary charges”.
“Indeed, intelligence available to the party shows that the Federal Government, using its various agencies, is bent on destroying any opposition to the ruling party as all indications show that the government is more interested in humiliating the PDP than fighting corruption.
“Finally, we state that this war on the PDP and its leaders has indeed gone too far. It has now become a mockery of democratic practice,” the party said.