– Text of the welcome address by the Peoples Democratic Party National Vice Chairman (South West) at the
caucus meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Saturday, October 27, 2012.
It is with great pleasure that I welcome everyone to the first full Caucus meeting of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West Zone.
Caucus meetings are not new to our party at various levels, i.e Local Government, State and National. The only new thing here is that we have expanded this caucus to include as many leaders as possible especially former office holders at Executive, Legislative and Party levels. We have extended the ambient to include those leaders who held offices earlier than the present Republic.
Caucuses will be constituted at the State and Local Government levels. Proposed composition of the Local Government and State Caucuses will be circulated at this meeting. It is expected that State Caucuses will hold not later than two weeks after the Zonal Caucuses and Local Government Caucuses not later than two weeks after their respective State Caucuses.
The objective is to widen our consultation and participation base to ensure that the PDP in the South-West becomes a really all-inclusive party in line with the 3Rs (Reconciliation, Reformation and Rebuilding) agenda of the present Bamanga Tukur led leadership of the PDP.
The challenge before the PDP in the South-West is to strengthen ourselves to meet the yearnings of the people for a change from the present ACN led governments at the next elections.
Our people in the South-West have tested alternatives and are unhappy with the performance of the ACN in all the five States remaining.
To achieve the objective of winning the remaining five states of the South-West at the polls, we have to first ensure that we create level playing fields in all our states for our members to come together in unity, we have to inspire healthy competitions for our tickets at the various levels in all the States and ensure fairness across the board. This party must get back its groove. It must be for all of us “One family, once again.”
We are aware that there are a lot of unease across the zone about the perceived control of party at State levels in virtually all the States in the South-West. This is very dangerous for our quest to wrestle power from incumbents. The electorates expect us as a party to demonstrate our resolve and commitment to take over the South-West by first closing our ranks and creating enduring inclusiveness in all our States. In the next couple of weeks, we will take active steps to ensure proper resolution of all these concerns. I want to reassure you again that the party we are seeking to build in every State, will not be in the pocket of any individual or group. Rather, the PDP will be a platform for all and sundry to aspire and compete fairly with an assurance of fair treatment for all.
The Zonal office is actively shopping for a befitting accommodation in Ibadan, with sufficient space for Six Directorates: Finance & Admin, Mobilisation, Legal Services, Women & Youth, Research and Publicity.
In other to further deepen our drive for inclusiveness, we shall soon be inaugurating committees. Most of you and many others at home will serve on these committees.
To conclude this brief address, I want to pay a stout and loud homage to the PDP in Ondo State for their gallantry and the steadfast manner with which they stood against all odds to give us all a befitting outing in the Governorship election in Ondo State. I want to commend most heartily our Governorship flag bearer, Chief Olusola Oke for his brilliance, doggedness, astuteness and candour. I want to thank all the leaders of the PDP in Ondo State, South-West Zone, and all over the country.
We thank our leaders in government at the Executive and Legislative arms, especially the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, HE Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the Vice-President, Chairman of the National Campaign Committee, HE Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo, the Senate President, HE Senator David Mark, the Chairman of the Governors’ Forum, HE Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi and PDP governors, the members of Senate and House of Representatives, the Ministers and Presidential Advisers; and especially our brothers and sisters from the South-West and other government functionaries.
Our indebtedness and gratitude must be expressed to our party leaders, especially our National Chairman, His Excellency Alhaji (Dr) Bamanga Tukur, the National Working Committee members, the members of the National Campaign Committee and all leaders and members of the PDP who expressed solidarity and support.
On behalf of all of us here and at home, I want to express our gratitude to our father, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for the inspiration that produced the outstanding result that we are all talking about. Time it was when nobody gave us any chance at all in Ondo State. President Obasanjo did. He saw in us a great potential and inspired us by coming on ground to preside over a rally that turned out to be the turnaround tonic for the PDP in Ondo State. Baba, we owe this moment to the almighty God and to your commitment, motivation and inspiration. Lagbara Olorun, a maa ri yin ba o (Amin).
Our party has shown clearly by the performance in the Ondo State election that we hold the future in the South-West. We are the party of promise. Our people had seen through the falsehood and deceit of the ACN and are yearning for change. We are the change that the South-West needs and wants.
The ball is now firmly in our court, we cannot afford to fail. Very soon, we will relaunch ourselves all over the South-West with a commitment to “One family, once again.”
Finally, I want to seize this opportunity of the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations to wish our Muslim brothers and sisters and indeed all of us, happy celebrations. God bless you all.