A stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba (Eng.) Gbenga Daniel, has congratulated Mr. Uche Secondus on his emergence as Chairman of the PDP.

Daniel in a statement issued on Tuesday and personally signed by him, also acknowledged that Secondus’ election came after months of rigorous campaigns by the various contenders for the coveted office.

Daniel said: “I rejoice with you because members our party have spoken in clear terms with their votes, they have placed on you the responsibility of their franchise in trust that you will protect them and their interests within the party.”

He added that Secondus’ emergence as National Chairman at a time when the party seeks unity and cohesion for proper positioning towards the 2019 general elections in Nigeria is not just a welcome development, but also a divine intervention and good omen.

“Like I said in the letter announcing my withdrawal from the race on the 9th of December, ours is a Democratic Party and fair contest is the hallmark of democracy, where the people can express their minds and preferences with their votes. We therefore have a responsibility to take the party back to the people and ensure that we do not disappoint them.

“May I also use this occasion to congratulate you and all the newly elected executive members of the party, who would work with you to steer the ship of the party as executive committee members.

“We are all aware that the PDP needs to be strong for itself and for the nation so that we can restore its lost glory as the biggest party in Africa, and take it back to Aso Rock as the ruling party in the country.

“My tour round the country during my campaign for the chairmanship position of the party in the last three months exposed me to the diverse challenges in the party and in the country as a whole.

“I discovered during the tour that the whole nation is waiting for us to come out of our shell, put our crisis behind us and work assiduously to win the next general elections and save the country from the maladministration of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with its promise and fail attitude since they got to office at the federal level in 2015.

“I believe that you have the capacity to bring all factions within the party together and give it a better focus and come up with better strategies that can make things work for the party as it used to be in the past.

“I congratulate you on your final victory just as I have implicit confidence that you will deliver on the mandate repose in you to take our party to a new high with the enormous responsibility bestowed on you,” Daniel said.

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