PDP to APC: Perform or Be Voted out in 2019

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday warned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that it risks being thrown out of office in the next election in 2019 if it fails to leverage on the achievements recorded by the former administration and deliver on its promises to the Nigerian people.

PDP

The opposition party said the APC must be reminded that one needs to have a nation first before you can seek to rubbish it and that in conceding victory, PDP had made sacrifices so that democracy can survive.

In its communique at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, the party said  NEC had adopted the recommendations of the Post-election Review Committee but with amendments. For instance, while it adopted, all other recommendations, it failed to approve the use of direct primaries in choosing candidates for elective offices.

It said NEC had approved the recommendation of the post-election Review Committee that the party should seek its 2019 presidential candidate from the North to enhance its electoral chances.

Other recommendations of the committee adopted include the use of  biometric registration of members nationwide.

The communique said the NEC had resolved  to support and fight for PDP candidates in the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States.

It also commended the leaders, elected and appointed officials of the party and members nationwide for their commitment to the party, especially the progress of the National Working Committee (NWC) with regard to the rebuilding efforts.

Special commendation went to the party’s publicity unit for  its constructive and robust engagement of the ruling party and urged it to continue in that regard.

The NEC promised that the PDP would continue to ensure credible, issue-based opposition as well as strict adherence to democratic tenets and the supremacy of the constitution of the country, adding that it would continue the move towards the repositioning of the party to regain its preeminence in the polity and return to power at the centre in 2019.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, who read out the communique said although the issue of selection of a new chairman from the North-east was not discussed at the meeting, NWC was directed to work with the leaders from North-east to chat the way forward.

Speaking at the meeting of the NEC of the PDP, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, said the APC has no choice than to leverage on the achievements of PDP and do more to consolidate on the gains already recorded otherwise the PDP will be on its way back in 2019 and deservedly too.

Yesterday’s NEC meeting was first since the conclusion of the 2015 general election in April.

According Ekweremadu, apart from the series of achievements recorded by the party in several sectors, the party has laid the solid foundation for democracy to continue to thrive in the country.

He said the only way democracy can survive under the present dispensation is for the judiciary to remain unbiased in its adjudication of election and other cases and for the security agencies to refuse to be partisan.

Also addressing the gathering, the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, charged APC not take the humility of the PDP for granted but to see it as a challenge to live up to the ideals of true democracy.

The governor said  but for the fact the leader of the party and the ex-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, had accepted defeat, many party members would have gone to court to challenge the outcome of election which they believed was anything but perfect.

“Nigerians and political leaders who find it convenient to rubbish the legacies of President Jonathan in ceding power to President Muhammadu Buhari must have a rethink as they can only speak because Nigeria exists as a nation. To those who seek to rubbish all that PDP had achieved, let them know that without a Nigeria, there would have been no country to govern, “he said.

According to him, if the election was to be subjected to forensic and scientific analysis, the details would have exposed the deficiencies of the conduct as fraught with irregularities.

He said  though the party may have its challenges which may have led to it’s defeat at the election, the fact that a sitting president of the PDP had the humility to surrender power so that democracy will not be jeopardised says a lot about the commitment and sacrifice that the party was prepared to make.

Mimiko said the APC administration should be ready to face a robust opposition which would provide constructive criticisms in order to make them sit up to work for the attainment of the aspirations of the people.

While welcoming NEC members to the meeting, the acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, said the NWC’s position is that a thorough implementation of the roadmap is the panacea to the challenges confronting the party

He listed some of the far- reaching recommendations of the Ekweremadu-led committee to include restoration of the sanctity of the zoning principle of the party, intriduction of biometric membership registration, introduction of direct primaries (to guarantee internal democracy and reconciliation).

“Primarily, the NWC has already kick started the implementation of the PDP biometric membership registration which the NEC approved in 2010. The Ekweremadu report has reiterated the importance of this policy in  opening up the party and returning it fully to the grassroots among many  other advantages it carries.

“The zoning principle enshrined in our constitution is another  fundamental element to be pursued in this reform roadmap. In accordance  with the recommendation of the committee, we have made a pronouncement  that the party’s presidential candidate would be zoned to Northern  Nigeria for the 2019 general election,” he said.

Secondus also said the NWC would pursue the holding of  a national Conference as soon as feasible to continue as was recommended by the Party Board of Truestee (BoT) as part of  efforts to  foster reconciliation and ensure adequate consultations as the party move forward.

Many of the party leaders attended the NEC meeting including the Deputy Senate President,  Ekweremadu, Governors Olusegun Mimiko, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Ifeanyi Okowa, (Delta) Nyesome Wike (Rivers), Ibrahim Dankwambe (Gombe), former governors, senators, House of Representatives members, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, chairmen of state chapters of PDP.

PDP to APC: Perform or Be Voted out in 2019