Governor Seyi Makinde has expressed optimism that the November 15-16 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would bring about a positive turnaround in the affairs of the party.
Makinde added that the party had fought a long battle before reaching its current position and would not give up.
Naijaonpoint reports the Governor made the submission on Saturday during his welcome address at the convention, which was held at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan.
He praised the resilience of PDP members and urged them not to give in to any form of intimidation.
He said: “I want to welcome everyone to this convention — the resilient members of the PDP. Let me use this opportunity to welcome you to Ibadan, Oyo State.
“We have fought a long stretch of battle to get to this point, but here we are. And by the grace of God, this convention will go down as the convention that brought a turn-around to the PDP nationally.”
Governor Makinde urged the people to relax and enjoy the city of Ibadan during the period of the convention.
“So, as you go around, don’t only politick, you should also use the opportunity to take amala and gbegiri in Ibadan.
“On that note, on behalf of the people of Oyo State, especially members of the PDP, we welcome you,” he added.
Chairman of the National Convention Organising Committee and Governor of Adamawa State, Umaru Fintiri, said that Nigerians were looking forward to the PDP to rescue them from the current political situation in the country.
He added that the convention is part of the responses of the PDP to the yearnings of the people.
According to Fintiri, despite the several high-profile departures from the party, the soul of the PDP remains intact, and the party would overcome every obstacle.
He said, “Power to the party stands for a party solidly formed on the tenets of courage and democratic ideals to rescue Nigeria. And it must at all times never veer off from the course of our fundamental tenets.
“Nigeria and Nigerians are still looking up to us to play that role that has always been our tradition.
“Indeed, Nigeria has reset back to the pre-PDP era and is dearly looking up to the PDP to pull its arm.
“We have an opportunity, especially with this convention, to answer this call. Distinguished delegates, party leaders, to take up this call we must agree that as a party we have a huge responsibility to reinvent ourselves.
“We must admit that whatever bad that has happened to Nigeria over the past few years has also happened to our party. Fractured commitment, minimal party loyalty, and disoriented focus which has left us disunited and in disarray.
“In the midst of all these, some of us have left, yet some of us have remained. The soul of the party is still intact because there are men and women who believe in the party’s fundamental tenets which are embedded in its rescue mission and its capacity to give Nigeria true democratic governance.
“Today, I want to use this opportunity to call on all members that have left the party to return back home.
“Yes, we have had our obstacles, but we must also remember that we have had our good times.
“The journey to this convention has been bumpy. And bumpy is always the character that defies every good journey. It is a sign that we are up to a good cause. What we need is entrenched unity of purpose and better resolve and courage to soldier on beyond the election of our national officers.”
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