PDP: Secondus delegation fails to save ex-minister in Plateau

The delegation dispatched by the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Uche Secondus on Tuesday failed to save the suspended Chairman of Plateau state chapter of the party, Chief Damishi Sango.

The 16 -member state executive committee of the PDP had last week suspended Sango and his deputy, Amos Gombi, for alleged disrespect to elders, sidelining members of the state executive and misappropriation of campaign funds.

In  his stead, the party in the state nominated the Vice Chairman, Plateau North Senatorial District, Chris Hassan, as acting chairman, pending the determination of the allegations raised against Sango and his deputy.

But, Chief Secondus, had on Monday sent a five-man committee led by Theophilus Dakashan to Jos, the Plateau state capital to mediate in the leadership crisis rocking the party.

The delegation which arrived the state on Monday met a brick wall in its efforts to reverse the suspension of the former sports minister and his deputy with a reliable party source disclosing that the mediation meeting which began around 3.00 p.m. ended around 7.00p.m. without any success.

The source disclosed that the peace committee communicated the concern and disposition of the party’s national headquarters over the crisis brewing in the state chapter of the party, but that the state executive bluntly informed the delegation to allow it do the needful and complete it job.

The Vice Chairman, Plateau Central Zone, Benedict Shiknuhul said that “we told the delegation that they should allow the seven-man committee the state executive council committee set up on Monday to investigate Sango and whatever may be the outcome of its investigation should be fully implemented.’’ 

He further disclosed that the delegation relayed Secondus message to the state chapter, where it called on members to sheath their swords and let peace reign, adding that however, “the executive council committee said no to anything that will stop the seven-man committee it set up to investigate Sango over all the allegations levelled against him.

“If at the end of the investigation our suspended chairman is found wanting, he might go six months or a year suspension or at worst be removed as chairman of the party as stipulated by our party constitution.

“Again, if Sango is not found guilty of all the allegations, of course, the suspension will be lifted for normalcy to return in the state chapter of the party,’’ he stated.