News Editor
By David Odama
PDP National Chairmanship aspirant, Eng.Conrad Utaan addressing elders of the party in Makurdi.
National Chairmanship candidate of the People’s Democratic party PDP in Benue state, Engr Conrad Utaan, has positioned that the anti people’s policies of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, led administration was already preparing the opposition PDP for a return of his party in 2027.
The major opposition PDP National aspirant who stated this when he met with the G-14, in Makurdi on Wednesday, in continuation of consultations, ahead of the forthcoming National Convention of the party, said that fuel dealers, consumers of the product and other Nigerians were already campaigning against APC.”
“President Tinubu is already begging our party to prepare for the taking over of government come 2027. Nigerians arre already devastated with the anti people’s policies of Tinubu administration’ Utaan stated.
While the aspirant explained that Nigerians were already missing PDP and could not afford to wait for PDP to return to power, he added that his first assignment would be to unify and reposition PDP to takeover power at all levels of government in the country come 2027.
Utaan who further pointed out that the PDP does not really need to campaign in 2027, argued that all that the PDP needed to clinch power in the next election was the right candidate.
“Nigerians need an alternative and not just an alternative, but the right candidate” that would win elections and better their lot of Nigerians, he stated.
The National Chairmanship Candidate while fielding questions from Journalists shortly after the meeting denied being in the race to fight Ayu out of the chairmanship position of the party by going to court.
He argued that what he did when Ayu was suspended was to seek intervention by asking the court to interprete the PDP Constitution so as to save the soul of the party, not because Ayu Ayu was suspended by officials of the party from Ingyorov ward, Gboko LGA of the state where Ayu hails from,
According to Utaan, “I’m in the race to complete the tenure of Zone B, same as Ayu. All what the party needs to do is to ratify my candidature to replace Ayu as the party National Chairman”.
In his response, Laha Dzever, Leader, G-14, said he gets excited when young people like Utaan come out for leadership positions, adding that he likes having around him such ambitious people.
He stressed that the party needs a chairman that would ensure that PDP comes out victorious at both the state and federal level ahead the 2027 general elections.
Dzever also assured the aspirant that the elders would also consult with the leader of the party in the state, who is also the immediate past governor of the state, Chief Samuel Ortom on the way forward..
Another leader of G-14, Elder David
Amo, urged the chairmanship aspirant to go ahead with his aspiration consultation, adding that since the majority of the elders were in favour of his aspirations there was no option than to file behind them.
Speaking earlier on behalf of the party members, , who spoke on behalf of party members from Benue North-East (Zone A) senatorial district, Elder Atsaga Anemba noted that Utaan was clear in his presentation and they had made their decision.
He assured that the people of Zone A have accepted him in line with the elders position after Utaan’s presentation.
Also speaking, a former Acting Chairman of the PDP, Isaac Mffo who spoke for Benue North-West (Zone B), senatorial district observed that Utaan was able to explain to them that his desire was not a do or die affair but an appeal to lead the party.
While he commended, the aspirant for the wisdom to begin the consultations from within, he pointed out that in any contest one wins or loses, depending on the process of consultation deployed.
A former chairman of Guma LGA, Charles Torbunde, who was chosen to bestow the blessings of the elders on Utaan said, “We hand over our son to God and we ask that God will bless him, give him progress to move the party, Benue and Nigeria forward”.
Recalled that G-14, comprises elders of PDP from the 14 Tiv speaking Local Government Areas of Benue state.
