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Rt.Hon.Elumelu at the media chat with DOPF members.

By Chukwudi Abiandu

Former member that represented Aniocha/Oshimili in the Federal House of Representatives, Rt.Hion.Ndudi Elumele has explained factors that combined to work in favour of the emergence of Mr. Uche Secondus as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)in Abuja.
Elumelu who fielded questions from members of the Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) in his country home, Onicha-Uku in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta state on Chrismas eve,also cautioned against the imposition of candidates, noting that it is the unwholseme practice that can prevent the party from coasting home to election victory in 2019.
On the emergence of Secondus as National chairman of PDP at the Abuja convention, Elumelu said: “Initially some of us thought that the South-West should produce the party chairman, in order not to make the party look like a regional party. However, by the time we put down the candidates looking at their health, strength, focus, drive, resilient, tenacity, strategy, empathy and who will make Nigerians see PDP from the point of integrity. We discovered that three candidates stood out, but out of the three, Uche Secondus and Jimi Agbaje were more constant on issues of integrity. However, Chief Olabode George was also considered because of his age and experience, making him the third person, but he has issue with integrity, this now narrowed the search to Agbaje and Secondus, but Agbaje was afraid to chest out completely, because Bode George is his political godfather and you cannot force somebody to become something he does not want, that is how we zeroed in on Secondus.”
Continuing, he declared: “The chances of PDP in 2019 are very bright, but it depends on us. Let me tell you how PDP failed in 2015, PDP failed in 2015 because some bitter members worked against the party, it was not that APC did anything different. PDP failed PDP, though APC would want to take the glory, but that is not true. We failed ourselves, our problem started with arrogance, it started with who are you, we don’t need you, good riddance to a bad rubbish.
Elumelu explained that Rotimi Amechi ought not the to be treated the way he was treated, as undermining A mechi was a gracious error on the part of PDP leadership because Amechi demystified Jonathan. He siad: “Northern governors under PDP though were not happy with Jonathan, but they could not confront him, but Amechi changed all that when he pulled out with some other governors and formed a very strong force in the opposition, with that, Tambuwa asked House of Rep members to move to the APC, while he remain, but later also moved.
“But unfortunately, all of them, including Tinubu and Saraki are fed up with Buhari and they are regretting supporting the man in 2015. So, what is left of in the APC is just an empty shelf or shaft, and by the end of March, unless something changes which I doubt, nothing will be left in the APC, and Buhari will even find it difficult to run his government because most of his cabinet members would have deserted him.”
The astute politician and eloquent strategist looked ahead on the way forward for the PDP,saying: “So, it now depends on the PDP to do things right. The chances are there for PDP to take over, and I am happy we have started very well by conducting a credible convention, whether you like it or not, today Secondus is the National Chairman of the PDP.
“Yes, people complained about unity list, there is no where you are having that type of elections without unity list, if it is not written, you can have it in your mind. If you want to run for House of Reps and Senate, there must be a unity list at every local government; so, the unity list is not an issue. In democracy all must not agree, the minority will have their say, but the majority will have their way. So, there was unity list everywhere, but the only thing different is the way it happened which I faulted also. And that is what we have been doing in the past, but then each state will handle its delegates in its own way without seeing any flayers,” he stated.
Elumelu pointed out however that the other issue is that if PDP must take over in 2019, there should be no imposition. “No leader at the local government, state and at the federal level should attempt to impose candidate on the party, because once you start imposition even for House of Assembly, it will rob us of party unity that is needed to win election, people will be disenchanted and will start leaving the party. So, if we must win, we don’t have to undermine anybody, everybody is important, so, if PDP imbibes this, we will take over power at the centre come 2019,” he cautioned.