PDP And 2019 The Asaba Game Plan

» PDP and 2019: The Asaba Game Plan PDP and 2019:  All 11 governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and members of the National Working Committee, NWC converged at Asaba, Delta State last weekend for what was obviously a strategic meeting to advance the interests of the party ahead of the 2019 elections. By Festus Ahon LAST Sunday, all 11 Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the National Working Committee, NWC members of the party converged at Asaba, the Delta State capital undoubtedly to strategize on how to reclaim power from the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC at the Federal level. The Governors and the NWC members who started arriving at about 12 noon, apparently do not want to leave anything to chance in the forthcoming 2019 general election. •From Left: Governors Dickson, Dakwambo, Ikpeazu and Emmanuel at the PDP meeting in Asaba The National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus whose chartered aircraft touched ground at the Asaba Airport at exactly 3:33 pm was received by the host governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, his deputy, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, Senator Ighoyota Amori, State chairman of the party, Chief Kingsley Esiso and other top government functionaries and party faithful. On arrival after taking some questions from newsmen, the National Chairman drove in a convoy with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa straight to the Unity Hall of the Delta State Old Government  House where he met the State leadership and stakeholders of the party in the State. Some of the PDP Governors who arrived early joined in the Delta State PDP stakeholders meeting, which lasted for about three hours. After the stakeholders meeting, the governors held a closed door meeting at the New Government House from around 7 pm till about past 10 pm when they filed out to take dinner at the banquet hall after which they went into another closed door meeting with the NWC members. The meeting lasted till 2:09 am Monday morning. Speaking to newsmen at the airport, Prince Uche Secondus said they have began the process to reclaim government at the central in 2019, adding that “we have vowed not to repeat the old order and we have reassured our leadership and our people that we will devolve power down to the states so that they can take responsibilities and make sure that whatever names that have submitted would not be changed”. On what they are doing to check defection of his members to the APC, Secondus, said; “I believe that those who left the party would soon come back. There is fear in the country, and very soon, you will see political Tsunami that even the ruling party would be coming en-mass to PDP”. He said “the Coalition for Nigeria Movement will never be a threat because we are a solid political party founded by our founding fathers. We are solid on the ground, and I believe that they are a threat to the other parties and not our party”. Secondus lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari, saying “the Buhari administration is a colossal failure, and the entire country is aware of this. We are in Asaba to talk to our people over mobilizing the grassroots”. He expressed confidence that Nigerians will speak with one voice through their voters’ cards by voting for the PDP in the 2019 general elections, saying “the weakest point in the history of the PDP is that we lost in the 2015 elections but, we should take advantage of the monumental failure of the APC, they came with a government of vengeance, we must emphasise that our people must have voters’ cards because Nigerians want us to come together and rescue the country in 2019. “The NWC is here in Asaba to consult with our Governors and we are presenting our road map to victory to them; on Tuesday, we will consult with members of the National Assembly,” disclosing that the PDP will wrestle power from the APC through aggressive awareness campaign for members of the party at the local government and ward levels to have their voters’ cards. Secondus assured that the PDP has been repositioned with strong emphasis on the power of the people, the electorates who will always be given the chance to make their choice in a free, and fair manner without fear. He lauded the programmes of Governor Okowa’s administration especially in the areas of job and wealth creation, compulsory health insurance scheme, provision of infrastructure, among others, asserting, “Governor Okowa is a performing Governor, there is no way you will count 1, 2, 3 governors who are working without counting Okowa, he is brilliant, an achiever; of a truth, Okowa is doing very well and we will ask our governors to key into your programmes because, they are well thought-out and targeted at the people at the grassroots as the beneficiaries.” The host Governor, Senator  Ifeanyi Okowa commended the NWC for choosing Delta State for its meeting and used the occasion to reel out some of the achievements of his administration in the health, and education sectors. Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike said the desire of Nigerians is for the PDP to take over power at the center in 2019, noting that based on performance, there is no fear about the party losing any of the states where they won the governorship position. Meanwhile, the PDP Governors and NWC in a communique issued at the end of a meeting which lasted for over six hours, frowned at the unabated killings across the country called on Mr. President to come out clean on the herdsmen killings to address the nation on how to end the carnage. Governors chide Buhari The Governors and NWC in the communique signed by Prince  Uche Secondus and Chairman of the PDP Governors forum, said “President must take responsibility on the protection of lives and property of Nigerians which is the most important of his responsibilities. “We believe that the Federal Government’s decision to set up a Committee to address the issues of herdsmen killings is a pretentious approach to a matter thst requires firm action and leadership by the President in line with his oath of office to protect all Nigerians irrespective of creed, tribe and political affiliation.