The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nigeria’s major opposition political party, is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to return to power which it lost to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 presidential election, Daily Independent has gathered.
One major way the Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee (NWC) is trying to achieve this is to organise a rancour-free congresses nationwide and elect loyal party executives who can deliver the six geo-political zones to the party in the 2023 general elections.
Speaking with our correspondent on Monday, a member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) said the party leadership is also trying to use the successes of the congresses to close ranks so that they will go into the 2023 election as a united family.
He said, “The zonal offices are provided for by the constitution. Filling the positions helped the party to strengthen itself and also renewed the structures. It is also preparatory to holding of elective national convention”.
“The party is using these congresses to test conflict resolution mechanism and its ability to renew itself. The APC dare not do some of these difficult party tasks. They are afraid of the impending implosion”.
He added, “What this means is that they have conquered the demons of the aftermath of congresses early and have enough time to heal and close ranks.
“By implications, they won’t go to the elections as a divided but united house. That’s a joker that might elude the APC. Our aim in PDP is to build a strong, formidable party that can return us to power in 2023. And that is why the party leadership is not only interested in conducting a peaceful congress nationwide but also putting in place loyal and hardworking executives who can deliver their zones in 2023”.