The hope of Uche Secondus retaining his position amid the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faded on Thursday as the opposition party named Yemi Akinwonmi acting national chairman of the party.

Akinwonmi had worked under Secondus as the Deputy National Chairman (South).

When a Rivers State High Court suspended Secondus on Monday, Akinwonmi and Suleiman Nazif, Deputy National Chairman, (North) both laid claim to Secondus’ seat.

But an agreement was reached to allow Akinwonmi act pending a meeting of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

At the end of the meeting, Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, announced that the party’s stakeholders had settled for Akinwonmi as the acting chairman.

“I can clearly say on behalf of our party that we have navigated the turbulence, and today, like you all witnessed, we came to establish that a motion was moved and Elder Yemi Akinwonmi was unanimously approved as the acting chairman of our great party,” Ologbondiyan said.

“It is interesting for you and Nigerians to know that this is in line with the provision of our constitution.

“We will hold another NWC meeting tomorrow preparatory to holding our national executive council meeting, which will hold on Saturday.”

Secondus had resisted the pressure to step down until the court restrained him from chairing the party.