BoT Chairman, Jibrin, gives condition for new PDP chairman

The Chairman Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Walid Jibrin, on Sunday prescribed the leadership qualities expected of the new PDP national chairman in the preparation for the October National Convention. The PDP BoT Chairman, speaking on Channels Television on Sunday monitored from Lagos, had declared that the PDP needs a chairman who would be reliable and would not take side with any faction or internal group in the party but be a leader for all party members.

Jibrin was of the view that the cause of the current crisis in the party would not be allowed to reoccur. He maintained that the leadership crisis in the party would be resolved in the interest of all members.

According to Jibrin: “At this stage, we are in now, we need to have a very sound, clever, party chairman that will lead this party.

“We must have someone who is consistent in his loyalty to the party. He should be well-grounded in politics both at the national and local levels with a good reputation for excellent leadership.

“Somebody who will be for all of us and make sure that he does not take sides.”

Jibrin had observed that the PDP did not force the embattled PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, out of office but allowed him to make his decision on his own. He maintained that the party is not in a position to determine if Secondus would contest for re-election at the national convention in October. Jibrin on the Channels Television programme on Sunday monitored from Lagos, highlighted: “We have held so many meetings to look at the left, right, front and back, to look at the real situation that will be better for us.

“When we were discussing, we did not say that Secondus should be sent away immediately, no.

“We gave him all the respect, all the opportunity to think and for him to even come out and make a decision by himself, not for us to make a decision for him.

“I have seen the rumours that there are some particular people who want him out immediately, No.

“For you to tell me that right away, the aim is to sack him, or to disgrace him, no, we are not ready for that.

“We are ready for him to come and talk to us, agree with us so that we can leave peacefully.”

The BoT chairman reiterated the need for unity in the PDP.