PDP convention: Aspirants go for the broke

Following the widening gulf among the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in other zones over who to back for chairmanship, a number of leading contestants from the South-South and South-West are going for the broke four days to the crucial national convention.

This came amidst anxiety over an allegal plan of a parrallel convention by some forces, which one of the PDP governors warned against.

While the campaign team of chairmanship contender, Chief Olabode George, moved to Akure Ondo State, that of another contender, Chief Raymond Dokpesi stormed Asaba, Delta State. Similarly, a former Minister of Sports, Professor Taoheed Adedoja, stepped up his lobbying of prospective delegates.

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, who however, warned against parallel convention, appealed to PDP leaders and members to eschew divisive tendencies that could mar the December 9 congress.

Dickson, in a statement release by his Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Daniel Alabrah, also urged members to close ranks and put aside selfish interests in the overall interest of the party and the country’s democracy.

“The December 9 convention of our great party offers is yet another opportunity for all leaders, members and contestants for various offices to close ranks, show commitment and loyalty to the PDP as well as enhance the democratic culture of tolerance and sportsmanship,” he said.

Dickson, who was chairman of the PDP’s Reconciliation Committee, condemned in strong terms, the reported plot by a group within the party to hold a parallel convention, noting that the PDP has had enough of crises and that there was no better time to rebuild the party than now.

He added that Nigerians were looking up to the party to provide strong leadership, especially at this critical time in the nation’s democratic experience.

“I call on all party leaders and aspirants for various offices to prepare for the convention. Elders and leaders of the party at all levels should also support the caretaker committee to deliver a successful convention.

“A rancour-free convention is a sine qua non to get back to power again at the centre in 2019. So members and all contestants must subsume their individual interests in the overall interest of our party and the brighter future ahead of us,” he said.

The visit of George to Ondo State marked the last phase of his campaign five days to the convention coming up in Abuja.

As part of his own campaign, Dokpesi visited a former governor of Delta, Chief James Ibori, who described the contestant as a loyal PDP member, who had toiled for the party.

Ibori said in Oghara when he received Dokpesi, that the aspirant was enjoying huge confidence of party members because of his commitment.

He pledged to give the necessary support to Dokpesi’s aspiration and prayed that God would guide him.

In Benin, Edo, Dokpesi also visited Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, who described the aspirant as a dogged democrat and fighter in the party.

Similarly, a stalwart of PDP in the state, Mr Ben Edo-Osagie, described Dokpesi as a brave man with credibility.

“Credibility and total alliance is what is needed at this stage to rebuild the PDP. This party requires re-branding, re-packaging and re-focusing to win the 2019 general elections. I believe that Dokpesi is the foremost dynamic person to lead the PDP to victory in 2019,” he said.

Also receiving the aspirant, PDP candidate in the 2017 governorship election in Edo, Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu, said Dokpesi was a party leader that the state was always proud of.

He said that the man had paid his dues in any area required to be PDP’s national chairman.

Ize-Iyamu assured that as a son of Edo, the party members in the state would pull resources to support Dokpesi, adding that it was wrong for anybody to insinuate that he was or would be rejected in his home.