By Olisa Metuh
Your Excellencies,
Permit me to address you openly on the most topical issue at the moment, the 2023 Presidential election.
First, may I express my profound appreciation for your contributions and sacrifices for the sustainance and progress of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
You will recall that I joined millions of Party members to oppose the zoning of our Presidential ticket. The reason is to avoid the conspiracy to annoint an ordained aspirant who has the unfettered access to limitless funds for the primaries.
I write to you as someone who participated actively during the process to select most of you as candidates for the 2015 elections. Fortunately, you all can attest to my integrity and altruism during that process as I was totally concerned more with the peace and progress of our party than any mundane or personal interest, just as in the process right now.
It is more like an open secret that the Southern governors will meet most probably this weekend to drum up support for a Southern candidate. Millions of our members will jubilate if this actually is meant to achieve a South Eastern candidacy. Unfortunately, this is so far from your planning at the moment.
I would like to draw your attention to the reality that Nigerians actually desire a South Eastern Presidency to end the civil war syndrome and once for all, achieve a true national unity. More importantly, some of the best aspirants are actually from the Southeast.
For competence, merit, peace, fairness and many other reasons, the Southern Governors Forum of the PDP should pick a consensus candidate from the South East.
Nigerians desire a Southern Eastern President but then, only a National Consensus can achieve this perfect yearning. Let the Southern Governors lead this quest for the overall interest of our party and our nation, Nigeria.
Let me forewarn sirs, that there is a clear and present danger of achieving candidacy with contacts and stupendous display of wealth but not achieving victory at the general election. It will definitely be a PYRRHIC VICTORY to nominate a strong aspirant but a weak candidate.
Your Excellencies, the commanders of our faithfuls, please harken to the voice of the led and let reason prevail over comradeship.
May God bless you all as you get set to wind down your wonderful eight years tenures, in less than 14 months.
• Çhief Metuh is a former publicity secretary of the PDP.