2nd June, 2015
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday called for synergy among its members, especially those in the two chambers of the National Assembly for a purposeful and credible opposition.
Uche Secondus, PDP’s acting National Chairman, made the call at retreat for elected PDP National Assembly members in Port Harcourt on the topic: “The Role of Opposition in Facilitating Development and Good Governance”.
Secondus urged party members to accept their position as opposition with a view to re-engineering the party to victory in the next election.
He tasked the party on discipline, which he said, was a very important attitude in driving development.
The PDP acting National chairman lauded the party for strengthening democracy in the country, saying that it acted in the national interest by conceding defeat.
Secondus promised more democratic based primaries in the party which would be merit-oriented for as a means of keeping the party alive.
Senate President, David Mark, urged members to take their destiny in their hands to ensure the party’s survival.
He said that opposition was the beauty of democracy and that PDP could not achieve success as opposition party without being vibrant and responsible.
The senate president noted that the ruling party would do everything possible to divide the PDP to enable them have their way but “we must remain united and focused”.
“There has to be proper synergy between members of the Senate and the House of Representatives to ensure PDP stays alive,” Mark said.
Also speaking, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President, called on PDP National Assembly members to rise up to the challenge of opposition with responsibility.
Ekweremadu urged the party members in the national Assembly to hold APC accountable to all their campaign promises.
“We should not only hold them accountable in terms of their list of promises but also in accordance with the timeline they gave in the course of the campaigns.
“They should be able to bring exchange rates down to one naira to one dollar and bring back the Chibok girls,” he said.
Mr Emeka Ihedioha, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, called on PDP members to be courageous in their role as opposition.
Ihedioha, who commended APC for a classical opposition role during PDP’s reign, said that it was time to pay them in their own coin.
He said that every successful opposition always partnered with the media and being able to be vigilant at all times.
“Do not relent, we need to work on our media friends, it is time to call attention of people when things begin to go wrong,” Ihedioha said.