From Okwe Obi, Abuja
A former National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Okwesilieze Nwodo, has said the standard bearer of the party, Atiku Abubakar, would entrench development strides in the region if elected president in next year’s poll.
Nwodo, who stated this at the Ukehe General Assembly meeting in Abuja, said the structure of the PDP across was still formidable across the country to help Abubakar win.
He said he had no regrets about fighting for political parties to zone their presidential tickets to the South East region which did not materialise.
He said the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), was doing well in a party “that does not parade even one council in Nigeria.”
“I can tell you that PDP was formed as a party to unite all Nigerians. It is the oldest political party in Nigeria. Before independence, no political party lasted like PDP even when we formed this in 1998, all the other ones that were formed are either broken up or broken up to form all sorts of parties.
“PDP remains the biggest political party in Nigeria. In Nigeria, it is the political party that has held power longest for 16 years.
“It exists in every nook and cranny. It exists in every ward in Nigeria. Now, when you get the ticket of such a party, it is assumed that you have won the election because it is a game of numbers.
“So, PDP is the only party that can stand the attacks it is getting today and it is still standing strong. It will stand strong and win the general elections because there is no state in Nigeria where it will not be able to get 25% of the votes cast in that state.
“There is no other party that can do so. Peter Obi is doing extremely well for somebody who is starting with a party that does not parade even one council in Nigeria.
“And in spite of all the efforts, Peter is making nobody has resigned as a local government chairman or councilor, House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate to join the Labour Party.
“All our members are still intact. But I congratulate Peter for giving our people a platform and we wish him the best. In politics, you either win or you lose.
“We fought very hard, passionately, robustly for all the political parties to zone their presidency to the South East, I have no regrets for what I fought for. But we lost that fight not only in PDP but in APC and other parties
“But it is not enough for me to leave a behemoth like the PDP which has so much for the people of the South East to win this election.
“We are there. We know the negotiations we have had with the presidential candidate of what will come to the South East if PDP wins the election.
“It is not only what will come to the South East but going forward even after that administration.
“It is important that our people understand that for the incoming government and for the future it is their best bet is PDP,” he said.
Meanwhile, speaking on the significance of the group, Chairman of Ukehe General Assembly, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Efesi Nwodo, said it is used to unite and assist people who are in distress.
The Deputy Governorship Candidate of New Nigeria People’s Party in Enugu State, said: “This is an event that we use to bring our people together for the unity of purpose, to commune together as people who come from the ancestral home of Ukehe.
“We have used this platform to help our people in this Abuja. If any of our members die in this FCT, we do not go to Gudu to bury the person because our culture forbids the same.
“So, we take the person home to where he or she comes from. Apart from that, we have helped people who are in distress. We make contributions to elevate them and make their lives better.”