Former governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel, on Sunday, said that the national chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a southwest agenda and not an individual agenda.
He also said that he has the support of former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida and former president, Goodluck Jonathan in his quest to become the next national chairman of the party at the December 9 national convention.
Daniel said this while addressing leaders and members of the party at Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, that the chairmanship seat of the party had gone beyond an individual in the party.
He said his decision to contest for the position was borne out of his desire to rescue and reposition the party.
The former governor stressed the need for the Southwest to come together and ensure that the region clinched the position.
He explained that the party
is weak in the Southwest unlike what it is obtained in the South East, South South and North.
“Our party is very weak in the Southwest. We only have a governor in Ekiti State and we should pray that we retain the state in 2018. In the South-South, South-East and in the North. PDP has more than one governor and the North that has two governors, and the party has even zoned the presidency in 2019 to the region. So, the only thing left for Southwest is the position of the national chairman.
“And if we fail to land the position, then we have nothing left for us. Even All Progressives Congress has its vice president in the Southwest as well as other appointees, hence, we must get it right so that we can have something to campaign to our people,” he added.
He advised the state delegates to vote wisely at the convention saying that the party, through him, would be fortified, united and repositioned for victory starting from the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun next year.
“I know how to win elections. There is only one way to remove an incumbent governor, and that is by a grand coalition of forces. We need GNI, we need Adebutu, we need Lekan Mustapha and everyone to do this.
“My job, if elected as the national chairman of our great party, is to provide the ground for the grand coalition to win. We need to create space for ourselves. I was in Lagos and I was not happy with the situation of the party, we need to work and reposition PDP in Lagos.
“In Osun, people are ready to change the ‘change’. In Oyo, we brought back Ladoja and Makinde to the party, and the people are ready there to vote for PDP again. All we need is a southwest PDP national chairman of my calibre and experience, to organise our people and return PDP to the path of glory.
“Election is even interstate, whatever happens in a neighbouring state will surely percolate down to the other state. So if we win elections in Ekiti and Osun States next year, that will serve as a good omen for our party in 2019 general elections,” he said.
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