The Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has called on the chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Adolphus Wabara, to champion the rebirth of the party in the South East.
Mbah made this call in Umuahia, the Abia State capital during the 76th birthday celebration and civic reception organized in honor of the former President of the Senate on his emergence as the substantive chairman of the PDP’ BOT.
In his address, Mbah, who is currently the only PDP governor in the South East, reminisced about the party’s glorious days. He mentioned that this period also saw Senator Wabara as the President of the Senate. Mbah urged the elder statesman to work towards recreating that golden era in order to bring the PDP back to the peak of its glory.
“It is interesting to note that just a few days ago, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of our present democratic rule as a nation,” Mbah said.
“And it is also befitting that today, we are here to celebrate an icon of democracy, Senator Adolphus Wabara. I want you to join me to toast a man who held sway during the glorious era of our party.”
Speaking further, Mbah said, “It is also my hope and prayer that this great son of Igbo land would bring his experience to bear, to inspire the renaissance of our party so that the party can rise to the zenith of the political landscape of this country.”
Also speaking, the chairman of the event and Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, regretted that the party had suffered serious dwindling fortunes in the South-East zone, but expressed confidence that it would bounce back both in the zone and nationally.
Makinde, who spoke on behalf of other PDP governors and party leaders, said that the South-East zone of Nigeria remains an important part of the country.
“You have four governors from four out of the six zones of Nigeria here present and that is because we have come to celebrate a great man and a unifier,” he said. “Wabara has done so much for this country. As a Senate President, as a diplomat, and for the party as the Secretary of the BOT, as an Acting BOT Chairman, and now BOT Chairman,”.
Speaking further, he said, “This kind of occasion has given us the opportunity to come together as a party. The party in the South East has gone through a lot. Out of the five states in the South-East, Governor Peter Mbah is the only PDP governor in the zone. But this used to be a zone where the PDP usually had four out of five. This type of occasion, therefore, gives us the opportunity to send the message that the best of the PDP is still ahead of us. So, do not relent. I want to encourage you. No matter what you are going through at this stage, please, don’t be discouraged.”
On his part, Wabara likened the PDP to a big home where many grandchildren had left their progenitor’s name to bear a different surname, noting, however, that whatever name or political party those who left the PDP go by today, they would ultimately return.
Abia State governor, Alex Otti, who was also present, described Wabara as “a good man” while also urging Nigerians to work together irrespective of party differences.