The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus has revealed how he resolved what would have amounted to a post-convention crisis among aspirants and some Governors of the party.
Secondus, who spoke during the gathering of the PDP BoT members with the presidential candidate Atiku, in Abuja on Friday, explained that he and Atiku met with the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike shortly after the convention.
Wike was seemingly unhappy with the outcome of the primary election and later admitted that he opted for Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal.
He said, “Immediately after the convention, the Presidential candidate and I visited the host governor and a few issues were resolved almost immediately because we had to carry the momentum from the venue.
“On Monday, I called a meeting of all the former aspirants and they all came and we discussed heartily. They have already started implementing what we discussed by visiting critical stakeholders, governors and dignitaries.”
Speaking on the reasons the PDP lost the last election, Secondus said the “Party was complacent in 2015, which led to our losing the election,” even as he charged members of the BoT to win their various polling units in order to earn their rewards.
“Now, every BoT member must deliver his or her unit, ward or constituency. This was lacking in the last election. We must build a consensus and arrangement that ensures you will be rewarded and recognized when you deliver. We cannot play the type of Abuja politics that made us lose in 2015.”
INEC, he added, will neither rig when they see the faces of the nationalists members at the polling units, nor would security operatives intimidate them.
“Our task now is to focus and remain focused. Our target is to win all the polling units in the country and we will be able to do that, with the strategies in place. A popular candidate has emerged. He is grounded in Nigeria. What is left for us to do is to take the message home.
“The current government is vicious. They are framing up and coming up with lies and propaganda, but we are happy that we are in complete control of the National Assembly.
“We must sustain that so that the international community will be aware that the PDP is ready to take over the government and do what we know how to do best: which is to provide good leadership for Nigerians. Of course, the APC know how to be in opposition and they will go back to their former position. However, we can’t do it alone. We must have everyone on board. We must move fast immediately when INEC releases the timetable for campaigns.”
In the meeting were Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, erstwhile Kaduna state governor, Ahmed Makarfi, former Katsina state governor, Ibrahim Shema, ex-Aviation Minister, Kema Chikwe, and former Imo state governor, Achike Udenwa.
Others were former Minister of Police Affairs, Waziri Maina, ex-Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Zainab Maina and former Niger state governor, Babangida Aliyu amongst others.
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