Credible election in Edo will rekindle Nigerians’ hope ― Secondus

TRACKING ____The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says conducting free and credible elections in Edo and Ondo state, will rekindle the citizens’ hope in the country.

PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus said this on Thursday when the party National Working Committee (NWC) received the two reconciled factions of the PDP in Ogun led by the newly elected state chairman, Alhaji Sikirulai Ogundele at the PDP headquarters in Abuja.

He urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free and fair elections in Edo and Ondo State.

Secondus said that the party did not want a repeat of what happened in other states to in Edo, saying credible elections would ease the trauma Nigerians were going through.

He expressed satisfaction that both sides of the party in Ogun PDP came together and were able to conduct credible and transparent congress that produced the newly elected state executives for PDP in Ogun.

“Ogun is going to take this example to other states to show that when leaders come together, they can always resolve their differences.

“You do not need any interference. It is not our style or wish to intervene in other states because they have leaders.

“Leaders who are more experienced, leaders who have been in places and leaders who have shown capacity both at the national and state levels.

“So, you do not need the NWC. Allow the NWC to concentrate in the affairs of putting the party together to move forward and how we can win our elections,” he said.

Secondus congratulated the new executive members, urging them to continue in the peaceful manner to produce the next governor, senators, House of Representatives members and state of Assembly members in the state.

Speaking earlier, Ogundele said they were at the party national secretariat to appreciate Secondus and other NWC members for the support extended to them to end the lingering crisis that had caused the state branch of the party misfortunes.

Ogundele, who said there was no more problem in PDP in Ogun, said the problem of the state in the state was that they had not been united.

“I have brought greetings from Rep. Ladi Adebutu who is unavoidably absent today.

“We are here to familiarise ourselves with the NWC and we pray God to give the chairman more wisdom, knowledge and understanding that will lead us to success,” he said.

Former chairman of the party, Mr Bayo Dayo, said that the party now had Sen. Buruji Kashamu’s supporters within the party fold.

Dayo expressed optimism that with the unity within the state chapter, the PDP would win the next elections in the state.

In his remark, Dr Doyin Okupe, said that their joy knew no bound because two major warring factions in Ogun had reconciled into one group.

Okupe said that the new executive members were legally elected through state congress, supervised by the national secretariat

“We have organised that congress and two groups unanimously came together and we have elected this new exciting. We have come a long way.

“We have come also to show gratitude because whatever we have achieved today, money alone could not have done it.

“If the national secretariat had not been forthright and defined justice, we will not be here.

“Finally, do not at anytime doubt our loyalty. We will be loyal to your administration, we will be loyal to your executive committee and we will do your bidding, ” he said.