The South East Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus have resolved to remain firmly in the party to provide a robust opposition in the country.
They also condemned the threatening outburst of the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, against the Igbos describing it as unbecoming of a revered traditional ruler. Accordingly, the leaders directed the Igbos in Lagos to go all out and vote for the PDP warning that nothing must happen to them.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting held at the Enugu residence of the Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu on Tuesday, the leaders through the National Vice Chairman of PDP south east, Col. Augustine Akobundu (rtd) said as a zone, the south east would remain in PDP having delivered all their votes to the party for, which they are proud to so do.
He used the opportunity to thank all members of the party including the governors, stakeholders and the people of the zone for working tirelessly and voting massively for the party during the last elections.
Col. Akobundu who is also the minister of state for defence, called on the people of the zone to do same in the forth coming elections insisting that they will remain resolutely in the party and will not be moved or be moving to another party either.
He promised the people that they will deliver all the goodies that are due to the zone through negotiations.
According to him,“Everything that we need to do to deliver the goodies that our people deserve in the zone, we can bring through a very solid platform of negotiation. We will do that as a zone and as a party”
The group also said they would open up talks with their brothers and sisters from the South-South geopolitical zone, which had also shown strong support for the PDP, to form an alliance in order to come out stronger.
The leaders announced the setting up of a committee within the zone that will form the platform for any negotiations either with their sister zones or with the government at the centre.
On the Oba Akiolu’s vituperative comments Akobundu declared: “Let me use this opportunity to condemn the outburst of a seemingly respected traditional ruler that made remarks that if the Igbos vote against his APC candidate in the governorship election, that he will consign them to the lagoon. It is un-becoming of a traditional ruler.
“This is a multi-party democracy and people have choices to make. I want to on behalf of our people in the south east urge our people to go out and vote for the PDP. Nothing will happen. This is a democracy.”
In attendance in the meeting include, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator Hope Uzodinma, Senator Sunny Ogbuoji, Senator-Elect Uche Ekwunife, Senator Elect and Governor of Abia State Theodore Orji, Senator Gil Nnaji among many other party chieftains.
