PDP Set to Take over Power in 2019, Says Okowa

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Special Non-Elective National Convention and Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has said the party is set to take over power at the national level in 2019.

Okowa who stated this yesterday at the meeting of the Convention Planning Committee at the party’s national secretariat, Abuja, affirmed that the convention would prove an acid test for PDP’s readiness for the election.

He said the party has realised areas they didn’t meet up with the expectations of Nigerians and is now determined to make corrections and provide Nigerians with good governance anchored on accountability, rule of law and improved welfare of the citizenry.

“Yesterday, we were inaugurated with the task of organising a successful national convention for our great party, it is our hope that the various committees will set out to work immediately as we have barely few days to go.
“As an organised party, I have confidence in our leaders of the various sub-committees that we will be able to deliver a successful national convention that we can all be proud of.

“I trust in your abilities because I have seen a good number of committed party members who are dedicated to the cause of ensuring we return back to power in 2019,” he said.

Speaking on the preparations for Saturday’s national convention, Okowa said a lot of grounds had already been covered by the National Caretaker Committee, adding that the planning committee only has few days to conclude the arrangement.

“Our party is back alive and with the national convention, PDP will send a very strong message that will make Nigerians realise that we are very much ready to take over power come 2019,” he said
Members of the planning committee, including Mr. Kelechi Igwe; John Jonah, Deputy Governors of Ebonyi and Bayelsa States and Chairmen, Deputy Chairmen, Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries of all the sub-committees attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, the disciplinary committee of the PDP was sworn in yesterday and urged to commence work. The disciplinary committee has seven members, including Chief Tom Ikimi (Chairman), Hon. Austin Opara, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, Mr. Victor Kwom, Hajia Inna Ciroma, Col. Bala Mande and Eyitayo Jegede.

However, the ward congresses of the PDP in Anambra State has hit the rock over protest by members over the dissolution of the state executive of the party by the National Caretaker Committee (NCC).

THISDAY visited designated wards where the congresses were billed to hold but met empty spaces, without any member or official of the party in sight.

At Otolo ward 1, Nnewi North Local Government Area, not even a single member was seen at the congress venue.
The Chairman of the ward, Mr. Sam Ojukwu, who spoke to THISDAY, said the boycott of the congress was in protest of the dissolution of the state executives.

He wondered why the state executive would be dissolved when they were elected in the same Port Harcourt convention that produced the national caretaker committee and other state executives.

“What is different in Anambra that they are dissolving us? Is it because we are going into election? The only solution is for PDP to reinstate the state executive if it wants to make any impact in the election.”
Ojukwu said the ward has prominent PDP members like Chief ABC Nwosu, Sam Ben Nwosu, Olisa Metuh and others.

At Orsumenyi Ward 2, Mr. Marcel Okeke told THISDAY that it was the ward of a PDP chieftain, Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu. He repeated that the best way for the party to make headway is for the national leadership to renounce its position.
An official of the party who identified himself simply as Andy, and chairman of all local government party chairmen in the state accused the national leadership of the party of plotting to trade PDP to other parties in the state because of the governorship election that is forthcoming.

He said, “Go and look at the history of PDP in this state, they always dissolve state executive once election is approaching. They do this after collecting money from other party’s candidate just to sabotage their own party.
“What they have done is a soft way of asking PDP not to participate in the forthcoming election. We know them too well, and that is too bad.”