Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) has tackled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus over his recent statement that the party’s 2023 presidential ticket was open to all persons and geopolitical zones.
They described the party leader’s position as unpatriotic, stating that he was driven by the desire to retain his office as the PDP National Chairman.
The group also claimed that Secondus just told Nigerians he was an individualistic politician whose sole aim in politics was his personal gain.
A statement by COSEYL’s President General, Goodluck Ibem and Secretary General, Kanice Igwe, yesterday, was emphatic that the 2023 presidency was for the South East.
The statement noted that Igbo had paid enough sacrifice for the party including giving it the greatest and most consistent support since 1998.
They also wondered how Secondus could wake-up to say that a party that believed so much in zoning and enshrined zoning of political offices in its constitution had suddenly thrown away that section overnight simply because, he must be re-elected as national chairman.
“This his egocentric game plan will not work. PDP is morally and constitutional obligated to zone the presidential ticket of the party to South-East geopolitical zone because it is the only zone that has not produced Nigerian president before.
“The people of the South-East have paid their dues in the development and advancement of the country and now is the time for the party to pay back Ndigbo for its years of support and solidarity to the PDP. It is no secret that South East and Ndigbo wherever they are have always voted for the party. For instance, PDP has always made significant impact in Lagos State because the igbo living in Lagos State have always voted for the party. Why would Secondus try to insult the sensibility of the South-East.”
Insisting that equity, fairness and natural justice favoured the South East for the president, the group said that the PDP boss has insulted the Igbo.
The youths, therefore, gave him seven days to retract the statement while urging the leadership of the PDP to call its National Chairman to order before he destroyed the party.
One trait of many African leaders is the urge to rule for life. Senator Modu Sheriff nearly destroyed PDP on this same selfish interest. I thought that with seamless hassle free PDP conducted its last primaries with highly publicised zoning to the North, and open threat to former Ekiti governor, Fayose, who wanted to contest against the North to desist or be expelled from the party. Why should PDP not do the same in respect of Noethers angling to contest against S.E now? Since PDP has zoning in its constitution, their leadership should live up to expectations by being firm on zoning it to the South, and microzoning to the S.R. being the only geopolitical zone that has not benefited. A northerner is currently the president for two terms. Stopping zoning when all the zones have not benefitted may give credence that selfish interest is driving the decision to abandon zoning mid way. Is it not better to openly tell the South East that they are no longer needed in the party. The spirit of Ekwueme may not forgive those plotting to shortchange the South East. The South East gave Atiku great support in 2019, and it not asking too much that Atiku is morally expected to give the South East an unreserved support in 2023, dispute the plot to pitch him against S.E. by selfish people.bent on destroying PDP