By Emma Ogbuehi
An advocacy group, PDP Rescue Mandate, has urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in the South East to adopt Senator Mao Ohuabunwa as their consensus candidate for the position of the party’s National Secretary micro-zoned to South East.
The group in its call ahead of the October 30 National Convention of the party, said it settled for Senator Ohuabunwa “after a long search for someone with the competence, national appeal and capacity for the job.”
In a press release signed by its Coordinator, Hon. Henry
Okeke from Anambra State; and Secretary, Okechukwu Okafor (Enugu), respectively, the organisation said “Ohuabunwa has the proficiency and wealth of experience to bring to bear in repositioning PDP to take over as the ruling national party”.
It further argued that since Abia and Enugu States are the only
PDP-controlled states in South East, the most qualified person from both states should be considered for the job, adding that Ohuabunwa performed creditably as the Leader of South
East caucus of the National Assembly members from 1999 -2007 when he was in the House of Representatives.
“We have taken time to search for a reliable capable hand in South East with the national appeal to go for the position and we are convinced that Senator Ohuabunwa has the capacity and charisma to deliver”, PDP Rescue Mandate stressed.
It argued that South East PDP has to field its best for the position of National Secretary of the party because of the enormity of task involved which requires an experienced and competent hand with national acceptance.
“Ohuabunwa has the experience and exposure needed for the office. While at the National Assembly both as a two-term House of Representatives member where he was elected House Majority Leader; and at the Senate, commanded the respect of his colleagues and Nigerians as a vocal legislator.
“He has also remained a loyal, committed and dedicated member of PDP since inception. Both in good and odd times Ohuabunwa never left PDP. The position of Secretary should be for trusted party loyalists like him and not for those jumping from one party to another,” the release read in part.
The group urged PDP stakeholders in the zone to adopt Ohuabunwa as its consensus candidate and support him at the forthcoming convention. It advised the party stakeholders against “anointing a bootlicker who has no capacity to represent the interest of the zone” at the national leadership of the party as such action will be self-destructive.
