The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in Abia State, has tendered an open apology to Abians for not meeting up with their expectations over the years, which according to them, contributed to their defeat in the last gubernatorial election in the state.
The party said they have learnt their lessons and would do better when given another opportunity.
Addressing journalists at the PDP Secretariat in Umuahia,shortly after the Party’s stakeholders meeting, the Vice Chairman of the party cum Acting Publicity Secretary,Elder Abraham Amah, said the party has learnt from the enormous mistakes made, stating it’s readiness to rewrite the wrongs.
He said the party is committed to do things differently this time, stressing that the lessons learnt from their mistakes would be used to chat a new course for the party, while expressing happiness that the party across the 17 Local Government Areas of the state is still intact.
Cross section of PDP Stakeholders
Narrating further, Elder Amah disclosed that the PDP administration was carried away by its welfarist agenda of engaging the youths, paying less attention to other integral part of governance which later worked against them at the polls.
Amah disclosed that the last administration engaged over twelve thousand Abia youths, payrolling them monthly and regretted the high number of youths engaged and the huge wage bill expended monthly for their payment,adding that, part of the funds would have been directed for the payment of pensions and other allowances of workers.
Elder Abraham Amah
He said though the Dr Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration paid fifty one months out of the ninety six months in office and left unpaid forty five months, aside clearing back log of pension arrears inherited from the previous government.
Elder Amah, however, expressed optimism that the Abia PDP would bounce back again, especially with the line up of political heavy weights that would be joining the party in the coming days.
Former Governor of Abia State,Dr Okezie Ikpeazu
Reacting to the recent defection that rocked the party recently, the acting PDP Spokesman said it’s imperative for a tree to shed its dried leaves,so as to give way for fresh ones.
He said over the years the PDP became so big and because of lack of pudding, the party suffered so much in the last election.
“It is customary for an Iroko tree to shed its leaves during the dry season.That doesn’t mean the end of the tree but to create an avenue for the trees to grow new leaves. In the past few months,our party has witnessed some shedding. It’s a necessary change which we are managing.
“Nature abhors vacuum.People left the party but in coming days more political heavy weights will be joining the Party to replace the ones that left. Once you vacate your seat, another will definitely take over. PDP remains strong, we are not deterred. We remain the party to beat come 2027”, he said.
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Earlier in the meeting, the immediate past Governor of the State,Dr Okezie Ikpeazu,vowed that the era of Imposition was over in the party,adding that the party would now allow the members choose it’s leaders.
Meanwhile, the party chairman in the state, Rt Hon Asiforo Okere, urged the members of the party to remain resolute and continue with their support for the party.
Our reporter, however, gathered that the party called for a stakeholders meeting, being the first organized after its defeat at the 2023 polls to address grievances of members and as well,plan for the forth coming Ward,Local Government and State Congresses.
