From PAUL OSUYI, Asaba
BUOYED by the Supreme Court judgement which affirmed the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee as the authentic national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has served quit notice to the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the federal level come 2019.
Okowa who spoke with newsmen Friday in Asaba after the state meeting of the PDP, said the party was undergoing proper reorganisation to put it in proper position to win the presidential election as well as majority of the seats at the National Assembly.
The governor however, disclosed that he would have left the umbrella party if the Supreme Court had decided in favour of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction based on perceived act of frustration when the Appeal Court had earlier decided in Sheriff’s favour.
“I did contemplate leaving the party, unfortunately you know that the party leadership at the national was in the hands of Ali Modu Sheriff at that time, and they brought out a candidate for Warri South Constituency I bye-election without consulting us.
“So we decided to stay in doors, that was exactly what happened. We stayed in doors and the PDP did not do well, hence the Accord Party candidate won,” he disclosed.
According to him, the Supreme Court judgement was not just victory for PDP but victory for democracy, adding that it will make the APC-led Federal Government sit up and deliver democracy dividends.
“The victory is for democracy, you know that APC is in power at the moment, and if we don’t have a credible opposition, it is not good for the country, it is not good for the economy. I believe that with the victory, the APC government at the centre will sit up.
“We the PDP members have also learnt our lessons, so I believe that we are going to have a better process of integrity going forward in the organisation of the party. So I believe that it is good generally for democracy in the country and for our economy.
“The government at the centre know that they need to sit up otherwise, we have given them a sack notice for 2019 because we are working very hard, and I can see the enthusiasm not only in Delta State but across the nation that the PDP need to take over in 2019,” he stated.
Earlier at the meeting, the state party chairman, Barr. Kingsley Esiso had opined that the APC-led Federal Government lacks focus and policy direction, adding that the party has only succeeded in bringing hardship upon Nigerians.
“The government at the centre is functioning without any policy, no direction. They came with recession which I call hardship. Nigerian are ready to work with PDP come 2019. We are getting back to Aso Rock because we are determined to ‘change the change’” he boasted.