PDP Will Bounce Back In 2019 – Raymond Dokpesi

African Independent Television (AIT) founder and a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Raymond Dokpesi, has expressed confidence that the party will “bounce back to glory.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) took over power in 2015 after the PDP had ruled for 16 years.

Dokpesi, who is vying for the position of the PDP National Chairman, said the party lost power because it deviated from the visions of its founding fathers, adding that members must return to those ideals in order for the party to win the hearts of Nigerians again.

Speaking to party members and delegates in Asaba, Delta State capital, Dokpesi said the vision of PDP founding fathers was “to establish a political party that would promote national unity and would accommodate the opinion and voice of every citizen under a common ‘umbrella.”

“The PDP founding fathers wanted a party whose operations would be guided by democratic principles, create jobs for its teeming population and make life a lot more meaningful for the people,” he said.

“However, over time, the party has shifted focus away from these noble ideals, and has lost track in the process. To get back on track, we must be willing to readjust ourselves to the realities of current political challenges.

“The only way to do so is to return to the visions of the founding fathers of the party, a vision that guarantees internal party democracy and allows only the best from amongst the people to represent us.

“Let us sit back and reflect. We have deviated from the visions of our founding fathers and we need to retrace our steps very quickly.”

While discrediting the embattled chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff, whose emergence, he said, plunged the PDP into crisis; Dokpesi promised to reunite the all aggrieved party members.

“I have come to properly unite the party and bring all contending forces together and make PDP virile one more.

“I am confident that with me in charge of the affairs of the party, PDP will bounce back to glory in no time.

“If we do our little bits, we will bounce back to glory and it would be good for delta state,” he said.

The politician, who is currently on a nationwide campaign tour, recalled some of his accomplishments when he was with the South-South Peoples Assembly, pointing how he drew attention to issues in the Niger-Delta, eventually making it possible for a south-south president to emerge.

Also speaking, the State chairman of the party, Kingsley Esiso, threw his weight behind Dokpesi’s candidacy, saying he is the man for the job and buttressing that the party could indeed regain power in 2019, with him as the chairman.

“You have the carriage, competence and capacity to deliver on the job,” Esiso said.

“I know you are a builder, I know you have the capacity. We will be in Port Harcourt in full force. We must encourage you as our brother so we must support you.”