Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The former acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and National Chairmanship aspirants, Prince Uche Secondus has said that every member of the party would have a sense of belonging under his leadership if given the mandate.
Secondus said that the new leadership he intended to give the party if given the mandate would take the party to another level with a view to restoring its winning ways again.
A statement from Secondus Media office in Abuja said he made the pronouncements Thursday night at Ibro Hotel while addressing North Central delegates to the December 9th National Convention of the party.
He told the delegates that included former Governors, former Ministers, old and serving Senators and members of House of Representatives and other Chieftains of the party that PDP was at a crossroad and needed a leadership that would hit the ground running.
“Our party at the moment is not at a comfort zone and therefore requires purposeful leadership as it cannot afford any waste of time.
“With election around the corner, there is no time to learn, the party needs an experienced person and I think I have it having served the party at various levels meritoriously.
“Let me assure you that as your National Chairman, I would deliver votes and if I can’t deliver votes from my constituency I would resign.
Listing some of the achievements that stood him out to lead the party, Secondus said under his watch as National Organising Secretary, the party had the best internal and external elections.
He also said that as acting National Chairman, he set up a special committee that looked into the causes of the failure of the party in 2015 general election, pointing out that the post-mortem report which had been adopted by the National Executive Committee NEC would be a huge guide for him to rebuild, reform and regain the party.
Secondus also reminded the delegates how he saved the party from an impending constitutional crisis by ignoring the urge of the former National Chairman Alhaji Ãli Modu Sheriff, who wanted him not to preside over the Port Harcourt convention and which became the grounds for the Supreme Court to dismiss Sheriff.
“If you give me your mandate, under my watch, I would decentralise power to states and get our members more involved in the running of the party.
“I would ensure that popular candidates fly our flag because when popular person hold the ticket, the election is 50% won
“The 2019 election is for us to take if we do the right thing and I can assure you that I have the skill, I have what it takes and the experience if you give me the mandate.
“I would not be distracted, I would leverage on the peace and support the party enjoys in my state and in my zone,†he concluded.
In a vote of thanks after the interaction, the former Governor of Plateau State and a current PDP serving Senator, Jonah Jang said the North Central delegates appreciated his humility of seeing himself as a servant of the party.
“What this party needs now is not a chairman but the chairman who would take the party to victory, we have all seen how painful and hurting it is to lose election,†he said.
The former governor however said that the PDP position at Aso Rock was still empty and members and their leaders should not keep God away in what they do or seek.
