By Obiora Okonkwo Ph.D
I welcome all of us to the year 2021. It is the year that the Almighty God has designed, especially for us in Anambra state, to redirect the course of the development and progress of our dear state. I also welcome the Zonal Executive of our great party to this all important meeting. My prayer is that the outcome will oil our party machinery for a more cohesive and unified party, for the battle ahead. It is also hearty that my co-aspirants to the leadership of our dear state are present here. That is a significant step forward.
As we are all aware, the battle ahead of us is not just one of winning the party’s ticket to become the flagbearer in the November governorship election. It goes beyond that and that is why we must find better understanding and create a unifying front to face the challenges ahead. This is imperative because our great party, the PDP, which is obviously the darling party of the generality of Anambra people, has been out of power, in the state, for close to 16 years; and at the center for more than five years now. It will come to eight years by 2023.
These realities place us at a very precarious situation. What it entails is that we must work like soldier ants to defeat the leviathan that stands before us as a hurdle. When soldier ants attack, they attack in groups. That way, they defeat the biggest of flies. Alone, a soldier ant can do nothing. This narrative is also true of Hyenas. In groups they can fight and kill a lion. Alone, a hyena is helpless before a lion.
For us therefore, we are confronted with the reality that we are squaring up against the ruling party in the state, APGA. We are also facing the ruling party at the center, APC. Both are in control of state and federal powers. Let us make no mistakes, these powers can, and may, be deployed against PDP in the next election especially, if we create the opportunity by leaving our flanks open.
We must therefore work in unison to sustain the prevailing unity and peace in the Anambra state chapter of our great party. It is also very critical that we elect a flagbearer that has the capacity to win. He/she must be a flagbearer that attracts massive support of the generality of the people of our dear state, across all zones. For me, that should be our most potent weapon against the two prevailing powers that we confront.
If we get our priorities right, elect a formidable and generally acceptable candidate, eschew factionalization tendencies, uphold internal democracy and remain a united front, no force in the country will be able to pull us down. We shall prevail and offer the people of our dear state, a new sense of leadership and direction. If we get our acts right, then, we shall be in pole position to end Year 2021 as ruling party-elect for Anambra state.
It is therefore for us to critically examine ourselves and focus our efforts on winning, not tearing apart. If we measure the mood of the people, we will observe that the general opinion now is that PDP is the party to beat in the next governorship election. Why is this so? To my mind, it is because we have remained firm, strong and united thus far and that is to the credit of the Ndubisi Nwobu-led executive. That gives our people in Anambra state renewed enthusiasm that PDP is back and strongly focused on rescuing Anambra from its current failings. We must not let this slip off our hands.
Finally, let me specially thank my co-aspirants, party leaders and all stakeholders in Anambra PDP for the decorum and the decency with which we have expressed our interest thus far. I commend all of us for this. Let me end this by pleading with all of us –aspirants, founding fathers, critical stakeholders, BOT members, and all lovers of PDP, to remain steadfast in the focus to elect a flagbearer that has the capacity to win the election and a clearer vision to make life better for our people.
Once again, thank you for the opportunity to address this very important gathering of the Southeast Zonal stakeholders meeting.
Happy New Year and wish all of us, God’s choicest favours.
*Dr. Okonkwo, an economist and a politician, delivered this speech, at a zonal stakeholders meeting of the PDP, held at Marble Arch Hotel, Awka, Anambra state.