2019: Obasanjo’s coalition, no threat to PDP – Secondus

NATIONAL Chairman of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday, in Asaba, vowed that nothing will stop the party from winning the 2019 presidential election.

Secondus told journalists at Asaba Airport, shortly after his arrival for strategic meetings of the party at the Delta State capital, that not even the new coalition being championed by former president Olusegun Obasanjo will pose a threat to PDP in the 2019 election.

He insisted that the new group, Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM) is no threat to PDP “because we are a solid political party founded by our founding fathers. We are solid on the ground, and I believe they (CNM) are a threat to the other parties and not our party.”

He said the process of rebuilding the PDP had since began, adding that the national leadership is working very hard to reconnect “to our people, and then mobilise our people enough and get them ready.”

Responding to a question on the imposition of candidates, especially the substitution of names of candidates for elective positions from the national headquarters of the party, the national chairman vowed that his leadership would ensure that impunity in whatever form, is eliminated by devolving power to the respective levels of administration within the party.

“We 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 they can take responsibilities and make sure that whatever names that are submitted would not be changed,” he said.

He said he is not worried by pockets of defections of party members to other political parties with less than a year to the election, saying that a political tsunami would soon occur, in which members of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) would be joining the PDP.

“I believe those who are leaving would soon come back; there is fear in the country, and very soon, you will see political tsunami that even members of the ruling party would be coming en-mass to PDP.

“The APC administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has failed woefully, the administration is a colossal failure, and the entire country is aware of this,” he stated.

Secondus on his arrival at the airport was received by the state Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa; his deputy, Kingsley Otuaro; state PDP chairman, Kingsley Esiso; senators Peter Nwaoboshi and James Manager, civil commissioners and state lawmakers, among other stalwarts in the state.

The national chairman and his entourage thereafter moved to the Unity Hall, Government House for a stakeholders’ meeting after which the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting involving governors on the platform of the party was expected to hold.