A former Deputy Senate President yesterday spoke of the need for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to apologise to Nigerians for the way it ran its affairs and the affairs of the country.
Alluding to the mismanagement of the nation’s resources by some former public servants who are members of the former ruling party, Senator Ibrahim Mantu said: “I am now born again. Whatever I say now is the truth. Some people came to the PDP with nothing and left with billions (of naira). We need to bring the party to the people now.”
He spoke in Abuja yesterday when former Minister of Education Prof. Tunde Adeniran announced his plan to run for PDP national chairman.
Mantu has enjoined stakeholders and members of the party to support Adeniran’s aspiration. According to him, Adeniran is “God’s choice” for the office. He said he consulted God by praying and fasting over Adeniran’s aspiration and that God gave him the revelation.
Manu said: “I fasted for 30 days and 30 nights, asking God to show me who would lead the party. God showed me Adeniran. Let’s now look forward and make sure that we elect a credible chairman. We should make sure that nobody short-changes us at the national convention.”
The ex lawmaker, one of the proponents and promoters of a third term for former President Olusegun Obasanjo, urged to the gathering of party faithful to start taking his words seriously because he had become a “born again” politician.
Mantu added that it had become necessary for the PDP to be sober and apologise to Nigerians for the wrongs of the past.
Adeniran said the party’s convention, tentatively slated for December 9, would be an opportunity for the PDP to bounce back to power.
He called for reconciliation among the various groups and stakeholders for the party to be united and make progress.
The aspirant solicited support from party faithful and stakeholders across the six geopolitical zones and pledged to work tirelessly to entrench principles in the PDP if elected.
Others in the race include a former Deputy National Chairman, Chief Bode George; a former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel; and former Sports Minister Prof. Taoheed Adedoja.
