By Azibola Omekwe
What can we say about someone whose life has been that of Chairman personified? Some people have a pedigree. This is not the first time Prince Uche Secondus is mounting the saddle as a chairman. In politics, his name is synonymous with chairman.
We say a big congratulation to the emeritus and incumbent chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It was refreshing to see Nigeria’s real political personae come home as a family to elect national officers of Nigeria’s biggest party. And, to the team that would pilot the affairs of the party in the next four years, we say big congratulations.
To the Ahmed Makarfi-led executive, posterity cannot forget their tremendous work in keeping the PDP intact at a very trying moment. We say thank you very much. PDP has once again demonstrated what an elderly brother would always do. In fact, it is already the envy of others. No matter what other political parties want Nigerians to believe, they are a product of the PDP – and PDP sons and daughters are still in the drivers’ seats amongst them.
The Uche Secondus team is capable of putting PDP in its traditional pedestal, which would culminate in seizing power come 2019. The journey has just started.
As the ultimate thrust to free Nigerians from the present failed system hots up, the PDP must be issues based now. The former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has opened the floodgate and patented his with a general acceptance: true federalism and fiscal deregulation in a nutshell.
And he has brought same home to the PDP. The present rebranded party should savour this mouth-watering ideology to be conveyed to Nigerians. Atiku Abubakar would be looking forward to having a robust working relationship with the Secondus-led leadership, taking advantage of the renewed vigour in the party, which is poised to unseat the incumbent administration in 2019.
However, we cannot discountenance that there are some people that were aggrieved with the outcome of the election. Our hearts are with them. They are capable hands that could have done the job also. But then, in life, it is one person at a time.
The new National Exco must assure them that, there were no victors and no vanquished. They are going to be a useful tool to the overall success of the PDP. We are all one big family. The crux of the matter is winning election to remove Nigerians out of the present misery they are being subjected to.
The convention has come and gone. It was expectant; it was going to generate some degree of inadequacies – no election is without shortcomings.
In spite of the foregoing, we cannot also discountenance the fact that there have been barrages of sincere congratulations within and outside the party and the Secondus-led exco must cease the moment and build on the momentum generated by the Makarfi-led interim exco.
Congratulations Prince Uche Secondus
Congratulations to NWC
Congratulations PDP
Congratulations to Nigeria’s Democracy
Hon. Azibola Omekwe
Former lawmaker and Coordinator
The Atiku Renaissance