Defection: Ogunlewe Urges PDP To Be Fair to All Aspirants

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Saturday, August 4th, 2018

LAGOS, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A former Minister of Works and Chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe has described the gale of defections into the leading opposition as a measure of the growing confidence in the party.

Ogunlewe who said this Friday in Lagos during an interview said the party must however not to be carried away by the development, rather leverage on it and work harder for electoral victory, in 2019 general polls.

“The defection means God has answered our prayers in PDP. It means the confidence in us in growing.

“However, we should not lose sight of our focus, which is to win in the next election.

“We should work harder and harder to realise our goal,” the PDP chieftain said.

Senator Ogunlewe urged the party to ensure that only credible candidates get its tickets to vie for political offices in the 2019 elections.

He said the dream of the main opposition party to dislodge the APC would only be realised if it presented credible candidates.

The former Minister warned the party against imposition of candidates, saying it could undermine the chances of the party in the elections.

He also counselled that the party should strengthen internal democracy to allow popular selection of credible flag bearers for the general elections.

“As our great party, the PDP, prepares to dislodge the APC in 2019, I want to advice we should do things right.

“We should ensure that we present credible candidates for the presidency and all other political offices to enable us defeat the APC.

“Nigerians know leaders who can transform the country when they see one, so, the PDP should offer leaders with right pedigree and capacity.

“It is also important that we strengthen internal democracy, give all aspirants a level playing field. It is through free and fair primaries that we can have credible candidates we need to win the general elections,” Ogunlewe restated.

He stressed that politics had gone scientific, advocating that the PDP must carry out proper research to enrich its manifesto for the election.

Ogunlewe urged the main opposition to design workable plans and programmes that would transform the country.

He called for unity in the Lagos chapter of the party, in order to win the state in 2019.

He advised members to close ranks and work in unison, while also calling for prayers to address some of the challenges the chapter was facing.

The President of the Senate Bukola Saraki, three state Governors (Borno; Kwara and Sokoto) as well as some of the States and National Legislators have in the last one week defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress APC to the opposition PDP.