2015: APC is not a threat to PDP, says party scribe

ABAKALIKI— Acting National Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Onwe S. Onwe, said weekend that the emergence of All Progressive Congress, APC, into the political landscape of the nation would not pose any threat to the success of PDP during the 2015 general elections.

In a chat with Vanguard, the PDP scribe, who noted that the party enjoyed overwhelming support from over 25 states of the federation, expressed hope that the party under a well conducted election would always defeat opposition political parties

 in the country.

He said:  “Well, my view is that the formation of APC is a good development. It will strengthen the opposition parties and it will also ensure and guarantee healthy competition in 2015 but just as I have been responding to similar questions in the past, the merger is not a threat to PDP.

“So even though the merger is a good development, I don’t see any threat to PDP winning any well conducted election in this country.

“The PDP enjoys overwhelming support from all the parts of the country; from North East, North Central, North West, South South, South East even South West.

“Currently, we have many sitting governors and the governors involved in the formation of APC are just 10 and with the inclusion of maybe Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, it will be 11, which is not even up to half of the number controlled by PDP.”

Onwe also debunked claims in some quarters that the emergence of Chief Tony Anenih as the Board of Trustees, BOT, chairman of the party brought disaffection among members of the party.

He added that the BOT chairman emerged through a consensus as there had not been any atom of rancour during and after the period of the election.

“There is nothing like disaffection in the party. I was there when the election took place. The BOT Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih emerged through a consensus; so there was no rancour; he was just elected unanimously and unopposed.

“For South West, what has happened is that the PDP Governor’s forum set up an Adhoc committee to look into the problems of PDP in the zone. The committee is headed by the governor of Kastina State. We are still looking at what may still be the outcome of that arrangement from the forum.

“Well, politicians that are scheming their way towards 2015 are on their own business but for those of us in PDP we are more concern in delivering democracy dividend now; because we have the mandate of Nigerians at the national, state and LGA level.

“So, our primary concern now is to ensure that we leave up to their expectations, so that when the time for election comes, PDP members will proudly point at various developmental projects carried out by the party and also when you are asking for their votes, the votes will automatically come to us.”

Vanguard : PETER OKUTU