Group Urges OGD To Contest For PDP Chairmanship

Ahead of the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, where a National Chairman would emerge, a group under the aegis of PDP New Era Wednesday asked the former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel to come out for the position and rescue the party from its present quagmire. According to the group, it was greatly disturbed by the sudden turn of events that have brought the once strong and virile party down to its lowest ebb, adding that after series of consultations among stakeholders, men and women, old and young, leaders and followers on the right to greatness again, the membership of the group has narrowed it down to the former governor. Addressing Journalists yesterday in Abuja, Secretary, PDP New Era, Benji Obute said that the crisis currently ravaging the party has to do with that of leadership contest and the group has come to a conclusion that the Chairmanship position be zoned to the South West for the first time and Otunba Daniel should be the next National Chairman of the party. The group said, “We are therefore joining other stakeholders in asking Otunba Gbenga Daniel, popularly called OGD to throw his hat in the ring for the race for the National Chairmanship of our great party.” Obute said, “We members of the PDP New Era have carefully taken stock of the establishment, evolution and the glorious moment of our party as the product of the toil and moil of its founding fathers and the generality of its members. There is no doubt that PDP is Nigeria’s only national party of ideology and principle with clear structures for the sound management of its affairs. This had not only endeared it to Nigerians since inception, it had also brought it to power in most states of the Federation and at the centre and sustained it there for solid sixteen years. “However, we are greatly disturbed by the sudden turn of events that have brought the once strong and virile party down to its lowest ebb. This no doubt calls for soul searching among the generality of our members. We believe that political parties, as any human institution is susceptible to rising and falling, more so with the high level of intrigues that define politics everywhere. Though painful, there should be no crime in it that we are passing through our current travails. To us, it should be an opportunity to rebuild the party and make it great again “It is however instructive to note that at the heart of the crisis that currently ravages our party is leadership contest. There is therefore the urgent and incontrovertible need to fix the leadership crisis in PDP if the party must be set on the path of regeneration and greatness again. And to us as genuine party members, there cannot be a better time than now. “Against this backdrop, we members of PDP New Era had embarked on broad based consultations among party stakeholders, men and women, old and young, leaders and followers on the right person to lead our party to greatness again. In all our consultations, one name kept resonating. That name is His Excellency, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, former Governor of Ogun State. It was a consensus that since the position of the National Chairman is expected to be filled by the South West for the first time at the coming National Convention, Otunba Gbenga Daniel is the right personality for the position of the National Chairman. “Going by his antecedents, OGD parades all the leadership qualities required to fix our party at this critical time. The leadership our party needs should be of uncompromising integrity, dynamic and sagacious, far sighted and focused with towering capacity of a team builder and player, open and courageous. All these OGD amply and naturally possesses.”