Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze, a former presidential aspirant on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), implored the leadership of the party on Sunday, October 22, to pick a southern candidate if Bukola Saraki, the former Senate President, emerges as the National Chairman of the PDP.
In a statement, Anakwenze described Senator Saraki as notably qualified to lead the party at this critical time and conciliate the differences of all the aggrieved members and groups within the party.
He, however, cautioned that the PDP must learn from the leadership crisis that almost wrecked the party.
According to Anakwenze, to reestablish the confidence of the aggrieved members and that of the generality of Nigerians in the PDP as their own party and quicken the ongoing conciliation efforts within the party, the South should produce the party’s next presidential candidate if Saraki, a Northerner, emerges as the National Chairman to establish balance.
Anakwenze cautioned that committing the same mistake this time, of not considering the feelings and sentiments of party members from the South who felt marginalized and aggrieved under the sacked leadership of Iyorchia Ayu, would be too disastrous.
“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.
“This action pushed away people who felt aggrieved, having no sense of belonging in the party, as typified by the former G-5 Southern Governors led by Nyesom Wike, who is now a minister in the Tinubu-led APC administration.” He said
However, he stated that he is ready to support Senator Saraki in becoming the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
