Posted by From CHIDI NNADI, CHUKS ONUOHA and VAL OKARA, Owerri on
The Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) on Thursday at its national convention held in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, returned its standard bearer in the last national election, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, as its chairman, Board of Trustee (BOT) with the former governor of old Cross River State, Chief Clement Ebri elected its national chairman.
… Returns Orji Kalu as BOT chairman
The Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) on Thursday at its national convention held in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, returned its standard bearer in the last national election, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, as its chairman, Board of Trustee (BOT) with the former governor of old Cross River State, Chief Clement Ebri elected its national chairman.
The party also elected Chief Olu Akerele deputy national chairman, South while Alhaji Abdulahi Tahiru Musa emerged as its national secretary.
Other officers elected at the convention include, Chief Emma Umokwe, national treasurer; Engr. Salem Mamman, national financial secretary; Mr. Ben Onyechere Ike, national publicity secretary; Hajiya Mariam Halima, national woman leader; and Alhaji Balla Hadith, national auditor.
Speaking before the election, BOT chairman and former governor of Abia State , Kalu described PPA as the fastest growing political party in the country.
He was happy that the party was able to capture two states in the last general elections just as it has representatives in the national and state assemblies.
Dr. Kalu said that the party would embark on aggressive membership drive in order to achieve growth.
The former Abia governor praised President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua for his present commitment to the rule of law and opting for a servant-leader approach to governance which, he claims, to be one of the PPA's philosophies.
'I thank the president for finding one of our manifestoes workable," he said, adding that 'if there were no Orji Kalus, Bola Tinubus, Chukwumereijes, Ya'Adua will not be there as president because the last person did not want to leave the seat."
Kalu assured the delegates that the party will form the next government at the national level come 2011.
He said that the commitment of the party is not a mere verbal expression, but one that must be fulfilled, saying that 'we are here to give hope to the hopeless."
In his welcome address, the Imo State Governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, said that the party has put over 90 per cent of its efforts in the upliftment of the common man.
'We are working with the government at the centre because we are the first state to introduce Unity Government," Ohakim said, adding that the two PPA controlled states have benefited immensely from the Federal Government.
According to him, there is nothing himself and his Abia counterpart have demanded from President Ya'Adua that he has not given to them.
Also speaking, the Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore A. Orji said six months after the party was formed, it became the third largest political party in the country.
'I make bold to state that in any grading system anywhere in the world, to come third in a class of 50 is distinction by every standard.
'Today, of the 36 states in Nigeria, we effectively control two states. We also have legislators from three states representing our people both at the National Assembly and the various state Houses of Assembly. This is a party nobody gave a chance to see the light of the day," he said.
He praised his party for being able to manage its internal crisis effectively, urging other parties in the country to emulate the PPA crisis management style.