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PDP chairmanship – I have not stepped down for Dokpesi – Daniel

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-Otunba Gbenga Daniel confirms he is still in contention for the PDP national chairmanship position.

-He also submitted that the PDP is ready to welcome other politicians into its folds following Atiku Abubakar’s defection.

Gbenga Daniel expresses hope of becoming PDP national chairman.

One of the contestants for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairmanship position, Otunba Gbenga Daniel has denied speculations suggesting he won’t be contesting the position and has stepped down for Chief Raymond Dokpesi.

He described himself as a front runner in the race for the PDP national chairmanship position and hence no need for him to step down.

The former Ogun state governor said this in Ilorin when he visited Kwara state as part of his mobilization campaign for votes during the December convention.

“How do you expect somebody who is a front runner to step down for another person? It’s not done that way. We are friends; we are working together but, there is no issue of stepping down in this matter at all.”

“Part of my job, if I become the chairman, is to resolve conflict, like what you have seen in Ilorin. We will sit down with the two factions and see how we can resolve it so that everyone has a sense of belonging. Whenever you see this kind of conflict, it means the party is strong; it means everybody wants to own the party, everybody wants to belong so, it actually is strength, and that is how we should look at it.”

Daniel, expressed hope that candidates from the South West would be able to speak with a common voice before the national convention.

“We are working very hard at it. You know in the South West, people are highly educated, and so when you see an avalanche of good personalities showing interest in the party, its sign of good health.”

We will see if we can trim the number. We are working on it.”

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“This party has become very strong and what we saw today is that there are two different competing factions in Kwara state, one claiming legitimacy about the ownership of the structure. We tried to see that at least there was no violence, and we will still find a way of resolving the challenges between the two factions. I have no doubt in my mind that it would be resolved.”

“You know, the PDP has become a bride; everyone wants to become part and parcel of a winning party. I have no doubt that PDP is going to form the next government in Nigeria. So we are happy and we would look forward to receiving the former Vice President and I can assure you he is not going to be the only one; there is an avalanche of people who are waiting to get into the PDP.

“But it would not be correct to say we have prepared the ground for Atiku to pick the presidential ticket. Don’t forget that the PDP is a democratic party, there are so many other people who want to pick the ticket and I am sure if he comes he is going to compete with every other person and somebody will pick the ticket. But there is no doubt in my mind that he is a very strong contender”, Daniel said.