The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it will make a strong statement with its forthcoming elective national convention, that the party has capacity to organise itself in the face of challenges.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during a news conference on the update on the party’s forthcoming elective national convention.
The event is scheduled for November 15 and November 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Ologunagba also said that one the things the party did was to ensure that every state organ and stakeholders were carried along in the selection of the committees, adding that the party would soon publish the lists of the sub-committees.
He further said that the party was excited on the level of preparations so far by various committees and stakeholders, noting that several committees were already working for the success of the convention.
According to him, “To show the inclusiveness of our party, every state chapter contributed to populating those sub-committees.
“Every organ of the party, the Board of Trustees (BOT), the Governor’s Forum, the state chapters and all other relevant bodies and stakeholders are all accommodated.
“This is because we’re determined to make a very strong statement about the capacity of this party to organise itself, to bring itself back when there are challenges that we have done.
“To ensure that every organ, every party member have a sense of belonging, because we’re truly people’s democratic party,” he said.
Ologunagba said that the feedback from the field had shown that the party was ready for Ibadan.
“We’re very ready. We are coasting on. We’re determined because this would show the capacity of PDP to stand up, to defend democracy, to do the right thing,” he said.
Responding to a question on the speculation that there was possibility of having parallel convention, Ologunagba said that the party was not aware.
He said that the party had process and constitution guiding it’s actions, adding that “interestingly, the process has started, we have been in sync with our regulator, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),has been attending all the meetings.
“They have witnesses to all the things we’re doing. That might be a media hype, people testing the waters. In-fact it does not exist.
“The local organising committee is working hard. The venue committee, they’re working already ahead of time. Even before the inauguration of those sub-committees, they’re already working. And we’re methodical in the things we do,” he said.
On the performance of the party in the Saturday by-elections, Ologunagba said Nigerians would not allowed what happened during the election to repeat itself in 2027 general elections.
He alleged that the by-elections were marred by violence, intimidations, attacks and arrest of opposition members including PDP elected members in different states where the elections took place.
“I have a bad news for APC. What happened in those by-election, that they call election, will not happen in 2007.
“Why? The reason is that Nigerian people are wiser,” he said
He said that Nigerians would vote based on the prevailing challenges facing them and the country.
