PDP Election Review Panel Proposes N’East, S’East For 2023 Presidency

THE Governor Bala Mohammed-led Peoples Democratic Party
Committee on the Review of the 2019 General Elections, has
recommended that the party should throw open the contest for its
2023 Presidential ticket. This was part of recommendations made by
the committee in its report submitted to the party leadership in
Abuja, on Wednesday., According to The Punch reports.

Chairman of the committee, Governor Bala Mohammed, while
presenting the report said, “In line with certain unwritten
conventions of the nation’s history, many people think that for
fairness and equity, the North-East and South-East geo-political
zones that have had the shortest stints at the Presidency should be
given special consideration in choosing the presidential flag
bearer of the party for the 2023 elections.

“While we admit that this is a strong argument, we should not
lose sight of the fact that Nigeria is endowed with many capable
and very experienced leaders in every part of the country.

“Moreover, the exigencies of the moment demand that nothing
should be compromised in choosing the leader with the attributes to
disentangle the country from the present quagmire.

“Therefore, we think that every Nigerian from every part of the
country should be given the opportunity to choose the best
candidate through a credible primary election as a way of
institutionalising a merit-based leadership recruitment process for
the country.”

Mohammed, who recalled the recent youth-driven #EndSars movement
and the effect it would have on future elections said, “Cognisant
of the generational and gender shifts all over the globe and the
emergence of a new generation of Nigerians who are not held down by
religion, ethnicity or such other primordial considerations but who
are determined to mainstream the country into global best
practices, the party should set aside a certain percentage of
elective and appointive offices for the youth and women.”

According to him, the #EndSars movement was a clear testimony
that a new generation of young, bold, ambitious and detribalised
Nigerians have taken centre-stage and that their legitimate clamour
for inclusion and good governance can only be ignored to the peril
of the party and indeed Nigeria.

The committee also urged the party to “promote internal
democracy, discourage ‘god-fatherism’ and ensure that the will of
the people prevail in the choice of candidates to run for electoral
positions.

“The party should advocate for genuine restructuring that
fosters decentralisation, engenders national unity, guarantees
security of lives and properties of all Nigerians no matter where
they reside in the country and which promotes economic prosperity
and the overall well-being of all our people.”

While receiving the report, National Chairman, Uche Secondus,
said the party would set up an implementation committee.

Secondus said, “Relying on the recommendations of this report,
the NWC will work with think tank, consultants and all critical
stakeholders of our great party to enhance the new PDP narratives
that will help address the yawning absence of leadership in the
country. We will continue to build the party along the line of the
recommendations with a view to cultivating a wide support base with
utmost urgency towards 2023.

“I have no doubt in my mind that your report will form the
bedrock of our party’s plan ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The NWC is going to study and analyze your report meticulously and
come up with a position that will be beneficial to the party.

“But we need to warn that the only thing keeping this country
alive today is the fact that APC will be history by 2023. They are
aware of this reality and they are trying to use their usual
propaganda to create a different image of themselves but Nigeria
knows better and cannot be fooled again.”

THE Governor Bala Mohammed-led Peoples Democratic Party
Committee on the Review of the 2019 General Elections, has
recommended that the party should throw open the contest for its
2023 Presidential ticket. This was part of recommendations made by
the committee in its report submitted to the party leadership in
Abuja, on Wednesday., According to The Punch reports.

Chairman of the committee, Governor Bala Mohammed, while
presenting the report said, “In line with certain unwritten
conventions of the nation’s history, many people think that for
fairness and equity, the North-East and South-East geo-political
zones that have had the shortest stints at the Presidency should be
given special consideration in choosing the presidential flag
bearer of the party for the 2023 elections.

“While we admit that this is a strong argument, we should not
lose sight of the fact that Nigeria is endowed with many capable
and very experienced leaders in every part of the country.

“Moreover, the exigencies of the moment demand that nothing
should be compromised in choosing the leader with the attributes to
disentangle the country from the present quagmire.

“Therefore, we think that every Nigerian from every part of the
country should be given the opportunity to choose the best
candidate through a credible primary election as a way of
institutionalising a merit-based leadership recruitment process for
the country.”

Mohammed, who recalled the recent youth-driven #EndSars movement
and the effect it would have on future elections said, “Cognisant
of the generational and gender shifts all over the globe and the
emergence of a new generation of Nigerians who are not held down by
religion, ethnicity or such other primordial considerations but who
are determined to mainstream the country into global best
practices, the party should set aside a certain percentage of
elective and appointive offices for the youth and women.”

According to him, the #EndSars movement was a clear testimony
that a new generation of young, bold, ambitious and detribalised
Nigerians have taken centre-stage and that their legitimate clamour
for inclusion and good governance can only be ignored to the peril
of the party and indeed Nigeria.

The committee also urged the party to “promote internal
democracy, discourage ‘god-fatherism’ and ensure that the will of
the people prevail in the choice of candidates to run for electoral
positions.

“The party should advocate for genuine restructuring that
fosters decentralisation, engenders national unity, guarantees
security of lives and properties of all Nigerians no matter where
they reside in the country and which promotes economic prosperity
and the overall well-being of all our people.”

While receiving the report, National Chairman, Uche Secondus,
said the party would set up an implementation committee.

Secondus said, “Relying on the recommendations of this report,
the NWC will work with think tank, consultants and all critical
stakeholders of our great party to enhance the new PDP narratives
that will help address the yawning absence of leadership in the
country. We will continue to build the party along the line of the
recommendations with a view to cultivating a wide support base with
utmost urgency towards 2023.

“I have no doubt in my mind that your report will form the
bedrock of our party’s plan ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The NWC is going to study and analyze your report meticulously and
come up with a position that will be beneficial to the party.

“But we need to warn that the only thing keeping this country
alive today is the fact that APC will be history by 2023. They are
aware of this reality and they are trying to use their usual
propaganda to create a different image of themselves but Nigeria
knows better and cannot be fooled again.”