Dokpesi Dreams Digital President for Nigeria

Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia

Frontline aspirant in the race for the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Raymond Dokpesi, wednesday said it was high time Nigeria elected a digital president who is in tune with modern trend in thought and actions.

He stated this while fielding questions from journalists in Umuahia after visiting the state and local government executives of the Abia State chapter of PDP, saying that old politicians who “are now becoming analogue” should start leaving the scene for young and brilliant Nigerians.

The media mogul said he wants to see his dream come true in the next dispensation.
“I want to see a president after this time around who will not be above 45, young people who are able, energetic, brilliant and have all the contacts to be able to lead.”
Dokpesi said he has strong belief that “the young should grow,” adding that all around the country “there are many brilliant, digital young men and women who can represent us very effectively” in the National Assembly and at the apex political office in the land.

He said PDP was blessed with competent and capable people to lead the party and he happens to be one of them
While seeking for the support of Abia PDP the pioneer of private broadcasting in Nigeria said he possessed what it takes too rebuild the former ruling party and get it repositioned to displace the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I have all my life been a builder. I am used to building and rebuilding from the scratch,” said, adding that he is a self made man as neither of his parents left anything for him as inheritance.

According to him, PDP needed to be rebuilt, rebranded and refocused to meet the present and future challenges.
Dokpesi also had a strong word for the APC government, telling his fellow party men and women that the Nigeria was going down under the present federal government hence the need for PDP to put their acts together and save the nation from the clueless managers that are now presiding over its affairs.

He accused the Buhari administration of running exclusive administration where people are not given equal opportunities to realise their potential irrespective of their tribe, creed or faith.

To buttress his point, Dokpesi cited the fate of the South-east geopolitical zone in the hands of the present federal government, saying, “What we are seeing today is that the South-east is marginalised.”
“We can’t sit back and allow our country to be declining,” he said while he sounded a wake up call to the PDP faithful urging them to elect him as the next national chairman of the party so they could chase APC out of Aso Rock come 2019.

The founder of Daar Communications acknowledged that PDP “made mistakes” during its 16 years in power but has learnt from such mistakes. He added that the present crisis in the party has not developed to factionalisation since “the people with Ali Modu Sheriff is what you can count on your finger tips”.

In his response the state Chairman of PDP, Chief Johnson Onuigbo, commended Dokpesi for his achievements and his pioneering efforts in the broadcast industry and possessed the quality of good leaders.

He said zoning arrangement whereby the post of national chairman was zoned to the entire south without restricting it to a any particular geopolitical zone was good for the party as it would give room for PDP to get the best hand to pilot its affairs after the August 17 national convention scheduled for Port Harcourt.

Meanwhile, the National Committee of Yoruba Youths (NCYY) has drummed its support for Dokpesi.
The group stated that an enduring democracy and good governance needs a stable and matured leadership.
In a statement issued and signed by the President of the group, Oladimeji Adeyemi, the group stated that after considering many factors, such as the repositioning of the party be a very viable alternative, the party would strive to have a stable leadership which does not have godfathers, but ready to work for all members of the party to reunite, re-position the party and the country for greatness.

“We believe the only person, most especially from the Southern part of the country with such a pedigree, charisma, respect and goodwill is Chief Raymond Dokpesi’.

“After a careful consideration and consultation with our associates, party faithful and compatriots far and wide, we by this statement appeal to the members of the Board of Trustees, all delegates, the leadership and members of the party to throw their weight behind his candidature,” the statement noted.

He pointed out that Dokpesi’s political antecedent and efforts over the years in the political and the nation’s economic space of the country distinguishes him as the best for the job.

The group expressed confidence that Dokpesi would be able make necessary sacrifices for the purpose of ensuring the primacy of moral rectitude and national interest on the administration of the country’s common wealth.

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