Tukur Canvasses Review Of PDP Manifesto

The National Chairman of the People Democratic Party, (PDP), Alhaji  Bamanga Tukur, has called for the review of the party’s manifesto to meet the challenges of  the 21st century.

Tukur made the call on Monday in Uyo while delivering a keynote address at the PDP National Working Committee/Induction Policy Retreat.

He also called for the amendment of the party’s constitution to provide for sanctions of erring members and to reduce indiscipline in the party.

“All those responsible for policy formulation should make transparency and adherence to rule of law their watch-word,” Tukur emphasised.

He  said that the retreat was an avenue to tell party members the truth, stressing that as the ruling party, the PDP must do things right.

The national chairman urged the retreat to explore ways of promoting the rights of youth and women, through good governance, peace and stability.

Tukur said that the PDP was in position to provide good leadership that would be development-oriented based on justice, fairness, transparency and equity.

He promised that organisation and mobilisation of party faithful would be a continuous exercise and not just during primaries.

In his goodwill message, the Akwa Ibom Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, urged PDP to hand over the party to God for divine guidance.

“Part of what will make PDP thick is to take the party to God, in everything we do, we must put God first. I think that is what is lacking in Nigeria, we must allow God to be with us.

“This is a very serious retreat for self-cleansing, for retrospection in a serious period like this,” Akpabio said.

He noted that PDP was in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom capital to renew its covenant with God adding “God will shine His face to Nigeria”.

The governor said that the PDP won all the 31 chairmanship positions and 325 counsellorship positions out of 329 in the last Local Council elections in Uyo.

The Chairman of the Retreat Organising Committee, Mr Abubakar Mustapha, said: “we would be taking stock of our current situation to know “where we are and where we want to be”.

Mustapha, who is also the National Organising Secretary of the party, said that the occasion would concentrate on reconciliation, reformation and rebuilding the party, based on equity and justice.

The four-day retreat attracted members of the party’s National Working Committee made up of former national chairmen and legislators nationwide.