Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, said that the successful conduct of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s National Convention was a hint to the party’s readiness to rescue Nigeria from the current hopelessness that pervades the country.
The governor stated this while speaking on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” monitored in Asaba.
He said that Nigerians were tired of the rising insecurity and economic crisis ravaging the country, adding that PDP had through the success of the convention, sent the right message to Nigerians that they are ready to change the situation of the country
Okowa said that there was need to recreate hope in the mind of the people because a lot of people had lost faith in the country.
However, he said: we need to make them believe that Nigeria is one, that Nigeria is a united country and that there is hope for a new Nigeria.
“With the successful conduct of our national convention, we have sent the message with the right conviction to Nigerians that PDP is truly ready to rescue them.
“The number of the poor people is growing by the day and the youths are becoming very agitated and they are no longer comfortable with the country they call their own.
“When you look at all these things, with the fact that the economy is reducing everyday and when you look at the kind of budget that is being presented to Nigerians, there is cause to worry that it is not something that can actually take us to the right direction.
“There are a lot of issues and most practically, the insecurity issue in the land which is growing worse by the day, and that is beginning to impact negatively on production, in terms of agricultural produce and that is not good enough for our country.
“From real insecurity we may find ourselves in the next few years going into food insecurity and that will be the worse of everything we can have as a nation.
“So, looking at the totality of all these, you will definitely agree that
we have presented ourselves as a credible alternative to take Nigeria back to the path of progress, to take Nigeria back to the path of hope for a better tomorrow,” he said.
He said the PDP remained focus and united, adding that “we are working together with the leaders and founders of the party, and we agreed that we will continue to keep ourselves together for the huge task ahead.”
On alleged dominance of the party by the governors and why the leaders chose Senator Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman, Okowa said that the party looked for someone with a command structure and reasonability of enough administrative capacity which Ayu possessed.
“In the Northern part of Nigeria, there was a lot of consultation with different leaders where the name of Senator Ayu was presented and finally accepted.
“The person of the national chairman comes with a very high level of integrity, high level of experience, with the necessary command structure and a reasonable administrative background that can truly help to keep the party united on the rescue mission.
“Governors as leaders of the party have the right to stick together and provide guidance for the party and I believe that we are doing our best to provide leadership and guidance to the party.
Why PDP will win the APC in 2023, Okowa said: “We are not competing with them anymore because looking through the years of the PDP and that of the APC of about six years plus the difference is clear; Nigerians are able to see for themselves.
“Though things were very difficult, we were able to build a foundation during Obasanjo’s administration. The reverse is the case in this present administration in such a manner that is not good for our nation.
“The level of insecurity, the economy today, the naira-to-dollar situation, indeed, there are too many issues.
We are getting to a stage now where there is shortage of food for the middle class, not to talk of the low class.
“The high level of unemployment has become unbearable. Farmers cannot even access their farms. We have gotten it all wrong in this current administration, and I believe that Nigerians know the truth.
“Nigerians know that PDP will do a lot better than APC; it is quite clear that we are not moving in the right direction under the leadership of the APC government.”
