Says presidential ticket open to all
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said that it is not averse to merger with other political parties of like minds in the country with a view to gaining strength and ultimately winning elections.
This is even at the leading opposition party declared that it has not decided in which part of the country its presidential ticket would be zoned to in the year 2023.
The National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus stated these in Abuja when he fielded questions from Journalists covering the party.
Prince Secondus however maintained that without electoral reforms and amendment of our electoral laws, Nigeria cannot move forward politically.
When asked on the issue of possible merger between PDP and others, the National Chairman said that the party was not against such.
According to him, ‘Why not, when the time comes, if there is need for people to pull their resources and pull their strength together, it can happen, it is possible.
“Our focus is in making sure that our party is strong and viral and ready to win election”, he said.
Responding to a question on the zoning of the party’s presidential ticket for the 2023 general elections, Secondus said,
“Today we are more concerned in rebuilding our party. When the time comes for the nomination of a Presidential candidate, the party will come out with it’s position.
“You know the Constitution allows everybody, whether you are from north, whether you are from south to contest.” No one is going to stop anyone from contesting even when it is zoned to a particular region. So every person still has a right to contest
“So, if you are qualified and desire to run for the office of the President you are free to contest”, he stated.
While answering a question on the issue of electoral reform, the PDP National Chairman declared, “Without electoral reforms and amendment of our electoral laws, we can’t move forward.
“Look at what happened in Kogi and Bayelsa, and other elections in 2019, it is a shame.
“Ghana can conduct their elections without any violence and problems. Kenya the same, South Africa, other countries in Africa, but Nigeria was a leading country in Africa, where are we today? What is our position? Bans are being placed on our country, travel restrictions, we are bring treated anyhow. A giant of Africa is now ant of Africa.
“But we believe that if you all stand with us and speak the truth, we will come out of it, God will help us to come out of this problems”, he said.
He pointed out that in the last four years of the current regime, the issues of good governance has been a terrible challenge for this country.
His words, “As we can see and observe, in the last four years of the current regime, we can see that issues of good governance has been a terrible challenge for this country.
“What we have experienced now is direct dictatorship by the APC government.
“They may try to silence us, but we will resist it. As a result the economy has collapsed whichever way the government is carrying on with their propaganda”, he stated.
Continuing, Prince Secondus said, “They should amend all our electoral laws bring everybody together so that the people will have the right to vote not like that woman (Mrs Salome Abuh), who voted and was burnt alive (in Kogi State).
“So, we will keep this going on and ensure that that woman become the symbol of democracy in Nigeria. So we are on the right track and we want to assure you that we can do it”, he stressed.
