The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State says ‘it will not take
much of its efforts to crush and override the All Progressives Congress
(APC) in the forthcoming elections in the State.
Addressing leaders and other Party faithful today, Friday, February 21,
2014 at the Party Secretariat in Port Harcourt during the official
Commissioning/Handing over of the first Batch of Branded Buses to the 23
LGAs in Rivers State, the leader of the Party in the State and Supervising
Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike said PDP is far ahead of the APC,
and is poised to vote out from office the ‘APC monsters’ in the State
currently hibernating in Government House and milking the state dry.
The PDP leader explained that the essence of the distribution of the
vehicles to the local government areas was strictly to ease mobility of
members and to enhance effective execution of Party activities in all the
nooks and crannies of the various LGAs. He warned against using the buses
for extraneous and senseless engagements.
The Minister emphasized that politics demands sacrifice and commitment,
noting that the Party has set the stage, and that all illegalities,
impunities and recklessness in governance in the State will not be allowed
to stand.
While charging all Party faithful to remain resolute, he commended the
gallant efforts of other leaders of the Party in the State, assuring them
that with such vigor the party will win, and the President (Goodluck
Jonathan) will return as President in 2015.
Also speaking, the National Deputy Chairman of the Party, Prince Uche
Secondus said it was high time the PDP in the State took their destiny in
their hands which is the government of the State, disclosing that one
major intention of the leadership of the Party for providing the buses was
to decentralize Party leadership and activities.
The PDP National Deputy Chairman also disclosed that the Party will soon
commence the update of membership registration nationwide, after 14 years
of initial membership documentation exercise.
While describing President Jonathan as a performing President, Prince
Secondus re-emphasized that PDP will not and is not ready to settle for
anything other than the gold at all levels, not silver, warning all party
members not to allow elements of the APC to infiltrate into its fold. He
also said winning elections is not about the volume of press or media
coverage and advertorials paid for as Governor Amaechi and APC are doing,
but about contacts and mobilization of the masses.
Earlier, the State party Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah had expressed
appreciation over the various support and corporation of other leaders of
the party, particularly the Supervising Minister of Education, Chief
Nyesom Wike, the National Deputy Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, Rt. Hon.
Austin Opara and other party elders, women, youths, and members of the
Grassroots Development Initiative(GDI).
He assured them that the party was better positioned now to win all
forthcoming elections in the State, but appealed for the provision of a
befitting State Secretariat that can accommodate the teeming and surging
members of the party.
Bro Obuah disclosed that the second phase of the event shall include
distribution of more buses, motorbikes, tricycles and marine vessels
(speed boats) to all the local government areas and the various Wards in
the State for effective mobilization of party members in all the nooks and
crannies of the State.
The State Party Chairman also used the occasion to reiterate that the
party will not anoint any candidate in the 2015 general elections, saying
he would provide a level playing ground for all eligible aspirants,
irrespective of culture, gender or tribe.
He noted that as a law abiding party, the PDP will continue to play by the
rule and according to the Constitution and the Electoral Act, as it
concerns political campaigns, urging all Rivers people to sustain their
total support for the PDP and President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
The occasion which was attended by cream of Rivers State elders and top
political leaders from across the 23 LGAs, also featured solidarity
speeches by some Party stalwarts, and commissioning of 25 buses.