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The
choice of Okwesilieze Nwodo, by the Peoples’ Democratic Party Board of
Trustees, as the next national chairman is an indication that the party
now places merit and integrity in the choice of its leaders, a former
national publicity secretary of the party, Emmanuel Ibeshi has said.

Mr Ibeshi said in
Abuja at the weekend that Mr Nwodo, who was the pioneer secretary of
the party, stands out among other contenders for the chairmanship
position and (Nwodo) will reposition the party.

“There couldn’t
have been a better choice of chairman at this redefining moment of our
national psyche for the ruling party, he said, adding “It is obvious
that the ruling party is on the road to charting a clear road map
towards a lasting legacy of making merit and integrity the fulcrum of
leadership choice. I congratulate the BOT for this bold step in
settling for Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo whose antecedents in medical
practice stand him out. His brief reign over Enugu State as governor in
the botched Third Republic is another testimony. His pioneering effort
as first elected National Secretary of our great party can be attested
to by those of us who worked closely with him as colleagues in the
Gemade-led National working Committee (NWC).”

Mr Ibeshi noted
that the 50th year in the life of a nation, “is too precious to allow
for gaffes that mutate mediocrity and produce a hopeless future for our
younger generations that are by all means in a hurry for self and
national rediscovery.”

A new era

The former party
spokesperson also said that an the party’s current leadership would
reposition it in the part to healing, rediscovery, and repositioning
for expected democratic deliverables whose dearth, according to him had
left voters confidence badly shaken in the political experience that
has lasted the nation 10 years with unbroken military support.

He appealed to the
supporters of the other contenders to join Mr Nwodo when he eventually
assumes office in moving the party forward.

“May I will use
this opportunity to advise our teeming members who had supported other
candidates who failed to emerge as Dr. Nwodo to please sheath their
swords and rather join hands to support the new spirit being injected
by the President, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP
Board of Trustees to move our party and nation forward,” he said.