Lack of internal democracy caused PDP failure in 2015 –  Ekwueme

Former Vice President Chief Alex Ekwueme yesterday hinged the failure of former rulling party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 presidential election on lack of internal democracy.

Ekwueme, revealed this when he received members of the PDP Strategy Review Committee, who visited him to present a copy of their final report, identified impunity and imposition as some of the causes of the party’s downfall.

He advised committee to reconcile aggrieved PDP members, especially those who left for other parties.

He regretted that the vision on which the party was founded suddenly disappeared.

“With that vision, the party was able to control 28 out of the 36 states of the federation,” the former vice president said.

He promised the delegation that he would make a statement after studying the report.

The leader of the delegation, Ambassador Aminu Wali, agreed there were cases of impunity that made PDP to lose the election to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

He added that his committee will review aspects of the party to determine areas where changes needed to be made.

Aminu, who addressed reporters at the end of the committee’s meeting with the former vice president, was optimistic that the PDP would re-brand to go back to the visions of its founding fathers.

He said the party belongs to all Nigerians.

Aminu insisted that the PDP was already a mega party, whose presence was noticeable in every ward and village in Nigeria.

A member of the delegation and founder of DAAR Communications, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, said PDP was meant for everybody.

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He apologised to Nigerians on the areas in which they failed to meet their expectations, declaring that PDP was now a born again party poised to win the 2019 general election.

Dokpesi insisted there “is no faction in PDP. What we have are a few dissidents”.

He noted that the senators, governors “are with the caretaker committee-led by Ahmed Makarfi”.

The delegation included former Minister of Foreign Affairs Dubem Onyia and former Aviation Minister Fidelia Njeze.