PDP Tasks Opposition on Healthy, Rancour-free Political Contest

NOVEMBER 4, 2013 -

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday urged opposition parties to ensure that political contests remained healthy and rancour-free.

This information is contained in a statement issued by Olisa Metuh, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, in Abuja.

Metuh thanked the party National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, for introducing an uncommon spirit of sportsmanship in the party.

He said majority of the party members supported Tukur’s  leadership because of his maturity and fatherly disposition in tolerating opposing views, even when the holders of such views cross the lines of civilised conduct’’.

According to him, this is the hallmark of a statesman who is willing to build, rather than destroy an institution he co-founded.

``Tukur as a founding father of the party is a bridge between the original ideals of the formation of the party and its contemporary existence,’’ Metuh said.

 He described Tukur as ``an astute Pan-Nigerian patriot and an African icon and global statesman’’, whose hard work and dedication had impacted the PDP positively since he became its national chairman.

He listed Tukur's strides to include a pragmatic approach to party administration through the relentless pursuit of his agenda of reconciliation, reformation and rebuilding.
Metuh said that Tukur formed the building blocks for a stronger and united party.

 He cited the understanding between President Goodluck Jonathan-led executive and the legislature as another milestone of the Tukur administration.

The party spokesman said the national chairman had provided a common platform for a regular interface among all the arms of government.

He said Tukur also ensured greater participation of the party in the implementation of government programmes, through regular monitoring of the performance of PDP members in government.

``The regular briefings from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), have helped reshape the approach to governance, making them truly accountable to the people,’’ Metuh said.

 He said the Tukur-led PDP had strengthened its statutory organs at all levels in line with the visions of its founding fathers.

 Metuh said this was responsible for the overwhelming victories recorded by the party in most of the bye-elections and local government elections held since 2012.
He urged officials of the party at all levels to emulate Tukur`s broadmindedness in party administration.

The party’s spokesman said the national chairman was committed to bequeathing a strong, virile and issue-based party to the next generation of leaders.