Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday expressed optimism that the party will regain power in 2019 as they pledged not to defect from the party.
The governors spoke at a retreat for the party members elected into the 8th National Assembly even as one of the failed PDP governorship candidates in the last election, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, charged the PDP National Assembly members-elect to purge themselves if they are to present strong opposition to the All Progressives Congress, APC- led administration.
The governors while pledging their determination to remain in the party, charged senators-elect and members-elect to the 8th National Assembly to dish out quality debates during deliberations in the House, stressing that it would shore up the fortune of the party in the next elections.
The governors who spoke were Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe, Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, while Chief Dave Umahi of Ebonyi was represented by his deputy.
The host governor, Wike, advised the party to play the role of credible opposition to promote the corporate interest of the nation.
He said: “No one can honestly deny the PDP its due credit for successfully nurturing, stabilising and consolidating Nigeria’s democracy to heights never imagined in the country’s chequered political history.
“Power has changed hands and our party is the official opposition at the centre. We do not have any choice than to play this role that has naturally fallen on our party effectively as possible.”
Governor Dickson, who apologised for the absence of President Jonathan, said the retreat was timely, adding that it would prepare the party for its new role as an opposition party. He said the ruling party at the centre was yet a political party.
He further enjoined all stakeholders to work assiduously for the PDP to win the next elections.
Reaffirming the commitment of the governors to remain in the PDP, Governor Dickson said he was in the opposition for sometime so was already familiar with life in opposition party.
He said: “We governors of the party are committed to stay in the party, work with leaders of our party to ensure that the party wins the next round of the elections. We must collaborate to win the elections. The governors are committed to stay in the PDP. There is no governor considering any move to cross over. We are determined to stay back and build our party.”
In their separate goodwill messages, Governors Dankwambo, Okowa, Udom, Ugwuanyi, said the party should properly position for the next election.
“As the only re-elected governor of PDP in Nigeria, I want to say we will support our party to ensure we reclaim victory in 2019, ” Dankwambo said.
Former governor of Kano State and immediate past Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau advised leaders of the party to strengthen internal democracy, noting that the party should build criticisms around issues and not individuals. According to him, the foregoing would further consolidate the party and endear it to Nigerians,
On his part, Ribadu, who was the party’s governorship candidate in Adamawa State, called on legislators elected on the platform of the party to purge themselves so that they could approach the APC administration on the platform of equity.
He said: “But to keep government on its toes, ensure fiscal discipline, minimise corruption in the system and ensure strict compliance to appropriation and due process. You, the legislators, have to go to equity with clean hands. You must demonstrate personal will and commitment to be above board if you really want to checkmate others.”
Meantime, the Senate President, David Mark lamented the gale of defection from the party, urging members to stay back to build the party ahead of the next elections.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was expected to be the special guest of honour was absent. Vanguard
