Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah said Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) greatness derives from its capacity to reinvent itself, and retain its national appeal in the face of challenges.
He also said the South East zone must retain its status as the bastion of the PDP.
Mbah spoke during the PDP Zonal Congress which was held in Enugu on Wednesday.
The zonal congress elected a new zonal executive to pilot the affairs of the party in the region, with Chief Ali Odefa re-elected as the zonal chairman.
Delegates at the party congress, which took place at the Michael Okpara Square in Enugu, also elected Hon. James Ugwu as the Zonal Secretary, Mrs. Regina Uchebo as Zonal Treasurer, Hon. Cornelius Okey Ugwu as Zonal Zonal Organising Secretary, while Madubuike Okoro, Engr. Chigozie Igwe, Barr. Dominic Nwankwo, and Mrs. Ifeyinwa Arodiogbo were elected to the positions of Financial Secretary, Publicity Secretary, Legal Adviser, and Woman Leader, respectively, for the zone.
Also, Godswill Nwanoruo and Ezeanya Augustine were elected to the positions of zonal youth leader and auditor.
Speaking earlier, the state governor and PDP leader in the geopolitical zone, Mbah, reminded party faithful that “election is never an end in itself and neither should the victory arising from it be construed as personal triumphs.”
The governor tasked party faithful on setting the PDP as a template for good governance, insisting that “democracy abhors excuses – no matter how plausible they sound.”
“We fully understand the demands and expectations of the people in a democratic setting. The bottom line is good governance. This is the ideal to which the PDP has committed to from its inception.
“That is why, for us here in Enugu State, the people remain the centerpiece of government policies. The improvement of their welfare is not a task we regard with levity.
“It reflects in our determination to ensure that the provision of basic services can indeed be taken for granted by the people.
“Democracy is beyond the squabble for office and power. It is about the people. We cannot emphasise that enough,” Mbah stated.
He further tasked the party faithful on unity and reinventing the party to restore its past glory in the South East region.
“The party’s greatness derives from its capacity to reinvent itself, and retain its national appeal in the face of challenges. The South East has always been a bastion of the PDP. We must ensure that it remains so.”
Speaking on behalf of the 21-member zonal executive, the zonal chairman, Odefa, called for unity, saying it is the only guarantee of PDP’s victory over the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) which it accused of bad policies and misgovernance that have caused sufferings in the land.
Also in attendance at the congress observed by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Barr Ifeanyi Ossai; the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara; national secretary, Hon. SKE Ude-Okoye, Senators Sam Egwu, Osita Ngwu and Augustine Akobundu, the party’s national auditor, Chief Dan Obi; federal and state lawmakers, council chairman, state party executives and other delegates from the zone.
