Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, has said that the forthcoming National Convention of the party will inject new blood into the party’s leadership, in preparation for 2023 general elections.
He made the disclosure on Saturday August 28 while speaking on Arise TV Live “The Morning Show,” saying that the recent calls for the removal of the National Chairman, Chief Uche Secondus, is being addressed by the party’s national leadership, as can be seen from the need for a national convention to elect new national officers.
Oghenesivbe who is the Executive Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Communications, posited that Nigerians and majority of the party members strongly believe that PDP is now the hope of the people, and as such must be seen to play the roles of a major opposition by frequently articulating the multifaceted failures of the ruling party, that hitherto increased unemployment, poverty and economic retrogression in the country.
He said the recent misunderstanding in the PDP was meant to awaken the consciousness of leaders and to ginger them to do the needful in preparation for 2023 general elections; pointing out that the Senator David Mark led Reconciliation Committee is saddled with the responsibility of resolving grey areas, unite aggrieved parties and mobilize structures for the National Convention scheduled to hold on 30/31 August, 2023.
“PDP is determined to win the forthcoming presidential election, and for this to happen proactive steps must be taken to properly position the party for victory.
“One step of lukewarmness takes opposition party ten steps backward in the game of politics. Opposition must be seen to be bold, courageous and strategically confrontational through regular altercations with the ruling party over disservice to the people and bad governance generally.
“Some leaders and stakeholders of our great party, PDP, believed generally that the voice of the ruling party is stronger than the opposition, which ought not to be. The louder the voice of the ruling party, the weaker and fragmented the opposition becomes, which eventually give room for defections. The reverse is usually the case if the voice of opposition is louder.
“Recent defection of some PDP governors to APC was also one of the major factors that triggered the uproar against the national chairman, and that there was the need to keep the party together as against the coerced defections experienced in recent times.
“Again, some stakeholders in the party believe that there were no tangible reasons for defections considering the bad governance experienced so far under Buhari led APC national government. These issues are crystal clear and the stage is now set for another national convention.
“Nigerians are counting on PDP to help them get their country back from APC, and we shall roll up our sleeves to partner with Nigerians immediately after the national convention in October,” Oghenesivbe assured.