The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday admitted that it made many mistakes during the 16-year period it was in power.
The party therefore tendered an unreserved apology to Nigerians for its error, just as it vowed to reposition and empower it to bounce back to power in 2019 and deliver dividends of democracy to the people.
Speaking in Abuja Tuesday, Raymond Dokpesi, chairman, PDP National Conference Organising Committee, admitted that the party had made a lot of mistakes in the past.
He said the first fundamental mistake made by the party was the breach of the power shift pact in 2011.
Dokpesi, who is leading the 53-member committee, recalled that President Umaru Musa Ya’Adua had died while in power, adding that instead of the PDP to allow for somebody from the North to complete his tenure, the party fielded former President Goodluck Jonathan from the South, who was acting President, as its presidential candidate in 2011.
Dokpesi also argued that in 2015 when it was expected that the party would field a Northern candidate, party leaders unanimously adopted Jonathan as the sole Presidential candidate, a decision, he said, led to the party’s defeat at the general elections.
The PDP 2015 National conference with the theme: PDP and the Sustenance of Democratic Ideals in Nigeria will attract all stakeholders of the party.
According to Dokpesi, about 3,000 delegates are expected at Thursday’s national conference in Abuja, pointing out that the party’s constitution is the criteria for selection of delegates.
He, however, emphasised that all the G34 and G38 founding fathers are expected at the conference, adding that 1,500 youths, all former working committees at the state and local government levels will attend the event.
Dokpesi explained that the mission of the conference is to critically review the issues fundamental to the promotion and sustenance of good governance and democratic ideals in Nigeria.
He added that the vision is to “Re-Invigorate, Re-Engineer and Re-Structure PDP, that has the next generation driving national growth, development and representation”.
