Ahead 2027 polls: Nwodo, ex-PDP National Chairman, harps on internal democracy within party

*Tasks party on provision of strong opposition to ruling APC

*As group begins move to ensure victory for PDP in coming elections

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and erstwhile Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo has harped on the pertinent need for a strong and genuine internal democracy within the party ahead of the forthcoming polls in the country, particularly the 2027 general election.

Dr Nwodo, who was similarly an erstwhile National Secretary of the PDP, further emphasized the importance of having a PDP that would provide the much needed vibrant and viable opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, stressing that such would be for the good of Nigeria’s democracy.

The former Governor of Enugu State spoke at the weekend during an online meeting of the PDP Rescue Mission International, which is the flagship of Pro-PDP Rules Based and Nation Building Society, on the occasion of its

Ist global mobilization programme.

The online meeting, which has the theme, “Power and Unity”, was set up to officially begin a thorough mobilization and sanitization of a minimum of 20 goodhearted Nigerians per week as its short-term goal.

Addressing the audience, Dr. Nwodo who appreciated the collective efforts of the movement in ensuring that PDP returns back to the people and regains power in 2027, said, “It is very important that our party, the PDP, strongly places a great premium on internal democracy.

“We also need to make PDP a viable and vibrant opposition party in the interest of the good of Nigeria’s democracy”, he stressed.

He thus reaffirmed his commitment to the mission of PDP Rescue Mission International, a group which seeks to reform, rebuild and return PDP to its winning ways.

Also speaking at the online meeting, the Director-General and Global Chairman of PDP Rescue Mission International, Comrade Vik-Morrow Okon Ulo, explained the importance of the group’s

assignments and engagements to the one million-man grassroots mobilization drive, saying, “this, in no small measures, would motivate and encourage the members of the group to carry out the grassroots mobilization work”.

While emphasizing the undiluted power of togetherness enjoyed in PDP Rescue Mission International, Vic-Morrow Ulo said, “no one man is greater than all of us”.

He therefore appreciated the work done so far and expressed the firm hope for a better Nigeria under a reformed PDP with the manner things are going.

A speaker, Chief (Engr,) Olatomiwa Kolawole from Kwara State called for absolute grassroots engagement as against sitting back in Abuja.

Kolawole tasked those in charge to ensure that the confidence the people reposed in PDP is not betrayed.

A Diaspora Speaker, Comrade Simeon Priye, who is the group’s Holland Youth Leader, stressed the need for effective mobilization of the Diaspora Community via music and entertainment industry, and affirmed readiness to supports the mission.

In his contribution, Comrade Wilson Ogbeche from the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sought for a level playing ground for all in the PDP as “a way to encourage growth and healthy competition”.

Ogbeche pointed out that mobilization is easy when the right people are on ground and therefore harped on the need for competency to move PDP forward.

The National Secretary of the PDP Rescue Mission International and former Deputy Speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly, Alhaji Hassan Abubakar, who coordinated the online meeting, closed the event with great remarks and attestation, saying, “we are on the right path to progress”.