Former Presidential Aspirant under the banner of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze, issued a compelling plea on Sunday, urging the party’s leadership to consider selecting a Southern candidate for the presidential ticket should former Senate President Bukola Saraki assume the role of PDP National Chairman. Anakwenze’s statements highlighted the significant qualifications of Senator Saraki to lead the party, especially during this critical juncture, emphasizing his capacity to reconcile various aggrieved members and factions within the party. He expressed a keen awareness of the past leadership crisis that nearly tore the PDP asunder and the essential lessons that need to be drawn from it.
Dr. Anakwenze pointed out that in order to restore the faith of discontented party members and the general public in the PDP as their political home, as well as to expedite the ongoing reconciliation efforts within the party, it is imperative that the next Presidential Candidate be chosen from the South if Saraki, hailing from the North, assumes the position of National Chairman. He cautioned against repeating the mistakes of the past, particularly the failure to consider the sentiments and concerns of Southern party members who felt marginalized and alienated during the leadership of Iyorchia Ayu.
Anakwenze emphasized, “At the root of the crisis rocking our great party, the PDP today, is the crass impunity displayed under the sacked leadership of the party which rigidly kept to its wrong position of picking both the National Chairman and Presidential Candidate from the North and pretended that the Southern section of the country did not exist.”
He recalled how this approach alienated those who felt disenchanted and lacking a sense of belonging within the party. An illustrative example he provided was the former G-5 Southern Governors, led by Nyesom Wike, who later joined the APC under the administration of Bola Tinubu.
Anakwenze emphasized that the time has come to rebuild the PDP into a genuinely national party, asserting, “Now is the time to rebuild the PDP into a truly national party. If the next National Chairman comes from the North, the next presidential candidate of our great party should be a Southerner.”
He concluded by expressing his readiness to support Bukola Saraki’s bid to become the National Chairman of the PDP, demonstrating his confidence in Saraki’s leadership abilities and potential to steer the party in the right direction.
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