PDP chairmanship: Dokpesi gets S/South, S/East support

DELEGATES from the six states of the South South and the five states of the South East regions have pledged support for the candidacy of High Chief Raymond Dokpesi as the national chairman of the party ahead of the National Convention billed for August 17 in Port Harcourt, River State capital.

The delegates expressed their support to work with Dokpesi, noting that he has started a new dawn in the party with his visit to delegates in their respective states to canvass for their votes. They hinted that it is the beginning of the reformation that the party requires to truly return power to the people.

High Chief Raymond Dokpesi maintained that the vision of the founding fathers of the party was a united platform that will meet the needs and aspirations of all Nigerians, irrespective of their tribe or religion. He said the vision was to have “a big umbrella that unifies all Nigerians toward achieving a collective goal for the country.

“PDP was envisioned by the founding fathers to serve the interest of all Nigerians irrespective of where they come from, their language or religion. PDP remains the party that was founded for all Nigerians,” he told delegates.

The chairmanship hopeful of the PDP vowed to rebuild and reposition the party if elected at the party’s national convention, stating that he has the asset, the goodwill and the experience to transform PDP and reposition it for 2019 elections so that power will return to Nigerians as envisaged by the founding fathers.

After receiving the blessings of the royal father of Agenebode on Monday, Dokpesi embarked on his tour and by Thursday, he has visited the eleven states of the South South and South East region; namely Edo, Delta, Anambra, Imo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi and Cross River states.

The leadership of the party in the states visited showered encomium on him and pledged support for his candidacy. His home state, Edo, endorsed and pledged to woo other states to support him. In Rivers, he was described as a first class candidate worthy of transforming the party.

“I am almost tempted by your credentials to say why are you bothering yourself coming to us because we are your sons. You are a first class candidate. Your name rings bell in the heart of everybody because of your credentials. With your establishment, you gave a voice to the masses. You are a supporter of youths and a champion of democracy,” Rivers State PDP chairman, Felix Obuah said.

The Akwa Ibom State PDP chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo, described him as an illustrious son of Nigeria, especially the South South while the Abia State chairman of PDP, Chief Johnson Onuigbo pledged that the state will ‘back’ him as a mother back his baby.

“PDP is facing a critical challenge and we require an experienced, intelligent and God-fearing leader like you. You are qualified to lead the party. We will take your message to our leader, the governor of the state that you have met the delegates and offered to serve the party. We are united and we will not disappoint you at the convention. From the reception and the reactions of delegates to your speech, you can see that you are at home and we are for you,” the Ebonyi State PDP chairman, Barrister Onyeka Nwebonyi said.