Goddy Egene and Blessing Ibunge
Statutory National Delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and major stakeholders in South-south yesterday restated their support for the decision of the Southern Governors’ Forum that the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria must come from the Southern part of the country.
This was part of the communique issued at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting held in Uyo Akwa Ibom State. The meeting, which had in attendance, the Governors of Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel; Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa; Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, and Bayelsa Douye Diri, party leaders and federal lawmakers from the zone, was themed: “Engendering a South-south Agenda for 2023 and Beyond.”
Reading the communique, PDP Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, said the zone frown at the continuous and unlawful violation of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDwDC) Act by use of sole administrator and management in the running of the agency.
The zone therefore, called for the immediately constitution of NDDC board.
“The zone also demands that the forensic audit of NDDC be made public and implemented without further delay. The zone is fully in support of the Southern Governors’ Forum’s position that next president must come from the Southern part of Nigeria,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wike has urged the PDP to treat the South-south zone with fairness, justice and equity.
The governor noted that having consistently voted for the PDP since 1999, the party cannot at this crucial moment ignore the South-South’s constructions to its success.
“The South-south is the pillar of the PDP. If the South-south is the pillar of the PDP, they must be treated with fairness, justice and equity.”
It is not only when it comes to work, it is only when it comes to giving votes, that we will all remember that the South-South is the pillar.
When it also comes in terms of sharing, they should remember that this is the pillar of the party,” he said.
Speaking on the 2023 general elections, Wike urged his colleagues, National Assembly members and other stakeholders from the South-south zone to set aside their differences for the interest of the PDP.
“We have all said that Nigerians are waiting for PDP to takeover in 2023. That is true. But we cannot takeover if we are not united. We can not takeover if don’t work together,” he said.
The Rivers state governor stressed that the only way PDP could wrest political power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government in 2023 is for it to remain united.
He said Nigerians are already disenchanted with the APC that has through its anti-people economic policies inflicted hardship on the masses.
According to governor Wike, APC’s poor governance is clearly manifest in widespread poverty in Nigeria, insecurity, poor electricity supply, scarcity of petroleum products.
“It is for us to put our house together and make Nigerians proud. Because if we don’t takeover in 2023, Nigerians will never forgive PDP. All the opportunity abound and so we must take this opportunity and make Nigerians happy,” he said.
The governor said PDP has realised its past mistakes, and when given another opportunity will not take Nigerians for granted as the ruling APC is doing today.
“Now that Nigerians have opened the door for us, we must make Nigerians happy. This (APC) government is a government of excuses. Every morning, one excuse. Every afternoon, one excuse, and in the night, one excuse. I’ve never seen a party that makes promise without fulfilling the promise.”
Governor Wike said the Federal Government declaration that it has deleted Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act smacks of corruption.
