By Emmanuel Oloniruha
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has called for the revamping of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to regain its eminent and dominant leadership role in Nigeria and Africa.
The party’s Presidential Candidate in the 2023 general election gave the advice at a programme “welcome/reception of PDP governors-elect and send forth of the past PDP Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) chairmen” on Thursday in Abuja.
The programme with the theme “Good Governance at the Sub-national level: Issues, Perspectives, Expectations and Outcomes” was organised by the PDP-GF.
Abubakar said that the PDP formed in 1999 as a dominant political party was passing through challenges that must be addressed.
“We have a number of challenges. We started as a dominant political party in 1999 and since then, we have been receding.
“I think it is time for us to take a stock and find out why we are receding and how can we make sure that our eminent position as the leading political party in this country, as the oldest political party in this country, we regain our position.
“This is a very important challenge which I think requires a while day seminar for us as a party to ensure that we regain our eminent position in the politics of this country and the whole of Africa,” he said.
Abubakar who congratulated all the governors-elect and those re-elected on the platform of the party, urged all party members to be united and determined in the party effort to reclaim its mandate at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT).
Also former Vice-President, Nnamani Sambo, advised the party to look into how members of the party were being suspended without recourse to due process.
Sambo said there was need for the cooperation of all to keep the party members together.
“What is happening in some states today already is very unfortunate. For example, in Kaduna State today, people are being suspended from the party front, left, right and center without due process,
“I will cease this opportunity to publicly call on the acting national chairman to look into what is happening in Kaduna state, because all the ingredients for trouble and problems in the party are being put in place.
“So likewise in other states, I will use this opportunity to call on all party members to cooperate, to let the party continue,” Sambo said.
The PDP Acting National Chairman, Mr Umar Damagum, commended the PDP-GF for always contributing to the development of the party and projecting it in the areas of good governance.
Damagum, who congratulated the governors elected on the platform of the party, urged them to emulate the outstanding performance that the PDP governors were known for.
“For the newly elected governors, I also congratulate you and advise you follow the foot steps of your predecessors.
“We have made a mark. There is no state that PDP is governed that has not seen development. I believe you will follow the footsteps of the governors. For those states that were not PDP before, I also believe you will do more,” he said.
Damagum called on the judiciary to ensure justice was done on the ongoing election petitions on the presidential election before it.
The Chairman of the governor forum, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, said since the formation of the forum 2014 it had became an alternative voice in the governance the country, which could not be ignored.
Tambuwal urged the governors-elect to continue to sustain the collaboration and strength the forum is known for.
“Also the newly elected governors of our party, on behalf of my colleagues, governors in the forum, welcome you to this event and into the forum. You are the shining arm of our party going forward.
“I happy to bequeath to you and indeed the members of this forum, a forum that is strong, cohesive and vocal in the defense of democracy and good governance in the country.
“With the caliber of governors-elect I see here today, I can say confidently forum is going to be in good hands,” Tambuwal said.
He commended the outgoing governors for their solidarity, comradeship and dedication to move the party forward.
He expressed confidence that the party would be victorious in the tribunal ongoing president election petition.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the former chairmen of the forum were honoured, while plaques were presented to outgoing governors of the party.(NAN)
