'Forget Presidency till Buhari's tenure is over', Chieftain tells PDP

Chief Tony Anenih, a former Board of Trustees Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has advised PDP members to reposition the party before considering to vie for elective positions.

Anenih gave the advice when the leadership of the Prof. Jerry Gana-led PDP Strategy Review and Inter-Party Affairs Committee visited him in Abuja on Monday.

He said it was very shameful for members of the party to be struggling to be president or other elective positions when the party was not yet in order.

“We have missed many opportunities right from 2014 to reorganise PDP. It is because of the selfish interest of some party leaders that PDP is where it is today.

“PDP should have been in power now but everybody wants to be presidential candidate, national chairman. It is never done,’’ Anenih said.

He also advised the party leadership to stop saying they were waiting for the Court of Appeal judgement before reorganising the party.

Anenih also advised PDP leaders to organise a credible national convention that would lead to the election of credible leaders for the party and offer constructive criticism to the ruling party.

“When Buhari’s tenure finishes then we know who takes over from him. When he finishes his tenure there will be more conventions on both sides and God will lead us to choose somebody who will help Nigeria.

“Maybe he may not be a party member now, either APC or PDP but if God says that is the person we will vote for him.

“God will direct the party to go and bring him. If he says it is President Muhammadu Buhari, of course, he can finish his tenure, but one day he will hand over. So what is important is to organise a party.’’

Anenih also advised Nigerians to pray for the speedy recovery of Buhari and his return to Nigeria and added that it was worrisome to read some comments about his ailment.

“I think what Nigerians should do now is to pray for Buhari to come back home in good health, bring out Nigeria from the woods and reposition things.

“Let God give him speed recovery so that we can receive him. That is more important to me than talking about Osinbajo would have to resign.

‘’Why should we be talking about this? It is silly and very unfortunate.’’

Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, a former National Chairman of PDP, also received the committee and commended the members for still believing in PDP and democracy.

Tukur said that PDP was not owned by any individual, adding that “in every home, village, local government, state and centre, there is no way you will not find a member of PDP. It was accepted.

“Don’t relent. PDP is the party to keep faith in democracy and with Nigerians because the constitution recognises this when it said “we the people” and the PDP has that belief.

“It is very encouraging that in spite of all the difficulties you are still keeping faith.

“Some people are jumping the boat. It is just like those who say we want to go and they take the barges through Libya to Europe because they have a promise of better future.

“It is not true. PDP is the party not just for the zone but it is global,’’ Tukur said

Both former party leaders had announced their retirement from politics and pledged their commitment to national development.

Gana had told them that the report was all about repositioning the party to ensure that it was victorious in the 2019 general elections.

He said the visit was to present to them the committee’s report in recognition of their contributions to PDP as founding fathers of the party in spite of their retirement from politics.