…Mbah Charges BoT Chair On PDP’S Rebirth
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Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah has charged the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Adolphus Wabara, on leading the party’s rebirth.
Mbah gave the charge in Umuahia, the Abia State Capital during the 76th birthday celebration and civic reception organised in honour of the former President of the Senate on his emergence as the substantive Chairman of the PDP’ BOT.
In his address, Mbah, who is currently the only PDP governor in the South East, recalled the party’s glorious days, which also produced Senator Wabara as the President of the Senate, and tasked the elder statesman on reenacting that golden era to return PDP to the pinnacle of glory.
“It is interesting to note that just a few days ago, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of our present democratic rule as a nation,” Mbah said. “And it is also befitting that today, we are here to celebrate an icon of democracy, Senator Adolphus Wabara. I want you to join me to toast a man, who held sway during the glorious era of our party,”.
Speaking further, Mbah said “It is also my hope and prayer that this great son of Igbo land would bring his experience to bear, to inspire the renaissance of our party so that the party can rise to the zenith of the political landscape of this country,”.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, regretted that the party had suffered serious dwindling of fortunes in the South East zone, but expressed confidence that it would bounce back both in the zone and nationally.
Makinde, who spoke on behalf of other PDP governors and party leaders, said that the South East zone of Nigeria remains an important part of the country.
“You have four governors from four out of the six zones of Nigeria here present and that is because we have come to celebrate a great man and a unifier,” he said. “Wabara has done so much for this country- as a Senate President, as a diplomat, and for the party as the Secretary of the BOT, as an Acting BOT Chairman, and now BOT Chairman,”.
Speaking further, he said “this kind of occasion has given us the opportunity to come together as a party. The party in the South East has gone through a lot. Out of the five states in the South East, Governor Peter Mbah is the only PDP governor in the zone. But this used to be a zone where the PDP usually had four out of five. This type of occasion, therefore, gives us the opportunity to send the message that the best of the PDP is still ahead of us. So, do not relent. I want to encourage you. No matter what you are going through at this stage, please, don’t be discouraged,”.
In his remarks, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Damagum, described Wabara as a stabilizer who had brought so much experience to bear to the party leadership.
He noted that the South East used to be a very stronghold of the PDP, expressing confidence that those exiting the party will all return before 2027.
“All those temporarily migrating from the PDP will come back before 2027. PDP will take over what belongs to them.
“The PDP will come back sound, healthy, and victorious,” Damagum declared.
He urged PDP members in the Southeast not to despair but to remain resilient despite their challenges.
On his part, Wabara likened the PDP to a bug home where many grandchildren had left their progenitor’s name to bear a different surname, noting, however, that whatever name or political party those who left the PDP go by today, they would ultimately return.
The Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, who was also present, described Wabara as “a good man” while also urging Nigerians to work together irrespective of party differences.
“Elections are over, now is the time for governance,” he stated.
In a brief remark, Otti said he decided to identify with the celebration because of his respect for Wabara, whom he described as an elder statesman and a true son of Abia.
Gov. Otti used the occasion to reassure Abia residents and visitors that the state is safe and secure, vowing that the hoodlums behind the killing of five soldiers in Aba on Thursday will be fished out to face the consequences of their action.
“Abia is safe. We will leave no stone unturned to get the criminals. We will smoke them out,” Otti vowed.
Gov. Otti later announced a state banquet at the International Conference Centre Umuahia in honour of the former Senate President to mark his 76th birthday.
Some of the dignitaries and PDP heavyweights at the event were Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State; Makinde of Oyo State; his Enugu State counterpart, Dr Mbah; and Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo State.
Others were former Governor Okwesilieze Nwodo of Enugu State; PDP’s BoT Secretary and former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi; PDP National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu; and immediate-past Deputy Governor of Abia State, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu.
Former Chairman of Nigeria Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu; Senator Austin Akobundu, representing Abia Central; former Abia State Secretary, Dr Eme Okoro; and South East Vice Chairman of PDP, Ali Odefa, among a host of others, were also at the glamorous event.