How PDP survived the make or mar convention 

Prince Uche Secondus bounced back to become the new national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in its much anticipated elective national convention which ended in Abuja on Sunday, with the new party boss immediately serving a warning to All Progressive Congress (APC) that it is a one-term government.

Despite protest from chairmanship contestants including Professor Tunde Adeniran and Chief Raymond Dokpesi over the emergence of a unity list of preferred candidates, the exercise passed off peacefully with the party stakeholders confident that the party has become reborn and primed for the 2019 general election.

Secondus emerged the winner of the plum post having garnered 2000 votes to Aderinan’s 231 while Dokpesi managed 66 votes.

Despite his initial protest, Dokpesi has now congratulated the new chairman, saying that he (Dokpesi) fought a good fight but only the PDP emerged victorious from the exercise.

In his acceptance speech moments after being declared the winner at the Eagle Square, Abuja venue of the two-day event, Secondus whose last post in the PDP was acting National Chairman, served a “quit notice” to the APC.

He said his agenda is to rebuild, reposition the party and recapture power.

Secondus said: “We are all witnesses to how the unity of this country has been shaken to its very foundation under the watch of the ruthless and clueless APC.

“We, therefore, have a gigantic task of retrieving this nation from APC over its clear lack of direction and confusion starting with the presidency.”

According to the party boss, APC is not a political party but a mere hurriedly assembled conspiratorial vehicle to grab power without a concrete plan to govern.

He praised the PDP for conceding power in 2015 in a move that he observed had added value to the democratic credentials of both the party and the country

“I, therefore, say without an iota of doubt that PDP contribution to the growth and sustenance of our democracy in the last 18 years remain unequalled,” he declared, adding: “The best way to celebrate the memories of these founding fathers is to ensure that their ideals are continuously engaged.”

Secondus also observed that the former ruling party has learnt its lesson and is now better placed to toe a new path of progress for itself and the county by sticking to the core values of democracy.

He stated: “No more imposition, no more impunity. Every member of this party as from this moment consider himself/herself equal shareholder in our common destiny.

“I call on all Nigerians to embrace this new PDP and join in the request for a new Nigeria and reach out to our own members who by one reason or the other left the party to please come back.”

While calling on other contestants for the office of the national chairman to join him in the effort to reposition the PDP, the party boss formerly welcomed to the party, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who recently rejoined the party from the APC.

The chairman of the PDP Convention Planning Committee and governor of Delta state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, while speaking at the end of the exercise had noted the apprehension that enveloped the convention but was glad that everything turned out well in the end.

He observed that the PDP had become reconciled and united to ensure it takes over power “by the grace of God,”

Also speaking the chairman of the convention Electoral Committee and former governor of Benue state, Gabriel Suswam, described the exercise as “the first ever transparent election by PDP,” noting, “in the past, the president would speak and the rest would follow.”

Twenty-one positions were contested for in the new National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP with Senator Umaru Tsauri from Katsina state also emerging as the new National Secretary of the party.