October 31, 2017

National Chairmanship aspirant of Peoples Democratic Party , PDP and former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba (Engr) Gbenga Daniel, has affirmed that he has the skill and capacity to reposition PDP and lead it to victory and ruling party in Nigeria if elected as the Chairman of the party.

Daniel, who gave the assurance on Sunday during a Roundtable discussion with members of the Guild Of Corporate Online Publishers, (GOCOP) at Maryland, Ikeja, Lagos, said what they needed is to reboot PDP into power in 2019, adding that he possessed the skill, capacity and experience to return the party to national prominence in 2019 if elected as the chairman of the party.

He pointed out that the Chairmanship position of the party in a situation where it is not in control of central government should not be made to compensate some group of people, but it should be seen as a situation that calls for work.

He noted that the potential National Chairman of PDP will be putting himself out to be scrutinized, to be harassed and to be dealt with because the party is not in power at the national level, stressing that the Chairman is taking over a party that is at the lowest ebb for repackaging, reprogramming , re-strategizing and re-orientation and as such it needs a hardworking and experienced person like him as the Chairman.
Gbenga Daniel, who assured party fateful that he has the qualities to achieve the aforementioned goals that other candidates probably do not have, stated, “ At the lowest level, I removed the government in power in 2003 in Ogun. I did it successfully without any bloodshed. I have also run elections successfully in various levels. Apart from Ogun state, in 2010 to 2011, I coordinated the Presidential election in the South-West.

“ I also happen to be a two term governor that has networked for several years. In this process, the experience I gained from the network as a governor is very important. I have a lot of network

“I left a lucrative and well paying job and came to start Kresta Laurel. When I started Kresta Laurel, I was the Secretary, the technician and the Managing Director, among others. I have been able to grow Kresta Laurel today that it is probably operating in about eight major cities in the country with over 600 workers. Come rain or shine we are still paying salaries. I think I have that capacity.”

He observed that virtually all the candidates contesting for the Chairmanship position of the PDP are eminently qualified, adding that they equally have their strengths and weaknesses.

Gbenga Daniel who disclosed that he will start his campaign tour across the country on Wednesday and it will go on for the month of November, said, “ I think that the work has to be done by the delegates is to painstakingly look at the position of the party today. As I said earlier on, if the party were to be in power at the federal government, probably any kind of chairman can do the work. But now that the party is not in power it is quite a different case. “

He lamented that Nigerians complain every now and then that things are not working well and when it is time to make a change they refuse to make a change that will make things better, stressing that when things become worse they began to gnash their teeth.

Taking a swipe on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari of All Progressives Congress, the former Ogun State Governor said Nigerians are bitter over the poor administration of this present government.

Hear him, “In the course of my consultation, I have gone round the country and discovered that all the strata of all those I met are unhappy. Wealthy people who suppose to be member of the status quo are not happy. The biggest factors are the commoners, the talakawas and those in IDP camp. They are saying that there is no food on the table. When you look at the various strata, everybody is not happy. This government is just lucky because of the level of sophistication now. It does not get to this level before you have other kind of intervention.

“ What is the exchange rate of the Naira today compare to when he got there? Has corruption been reduced? As people who are educated, we need to ask ourselves all this questions intelligently and then try to back it up with statistics. Has corruption reduced? I am not so sure. Has security improved? I am not so sure. Has road infrastructure improved? I am not so sure. Has anything differently been done in the railway transport system? I am not so sure. We are all in the position to say beyond the rhetoric what are the facts? And based on those facts, we can begin to make our choice.”
TRANSCRIPTION

One thing is sacrosanct; that is that the PDP has zoned the Presidency to the North and Chairmanship o the South. I do not think any one is arguing that. What people are saying is that the Chairmanship has been micro-zoned to the South-West, while some other people are saying that not. I think what I heard is that the onus lies on the people in the South to arrange themselves if they want to micro zone. What I heard the Chairman (Makarfi) say is that everybody in the South is free to contest for the Chairmanship position. I think we should take it from there.

But having said that, what most of us have opined is that for the purpose of proper balancing and strategic management, the South-West should be allowed to be the Chairman in the overall interest of the party. That is my own opinion and that happens to be more popular. But do not forget that this thing called zoning is really not a Constitutional issue. Do not forget that every now and then when PDP zones, people rise against zoning. I do not think that you should worry yourself about it. Along the line something will happen whether we like it or not, it will happen.

As for the Chairmanship, we really have to think of what we want to do carefully for political strategy and management. The Chairmanship position in a situation where there is no government at the centre is not a compensation but it is a situation that calls for work. You are putting yourself out to be scrutinized, to be harassed, to be dealt with. It is to take over a party that is at the lowest ebb to repackage, to be reprogrammed, to re-strategise, to re-orientate..

Virtually all the people that are contesting for the Chairmanship are eminently qualified. Everybody has his own strength and weaknesses. I think that the work has to be done is for the delegates to painstakingly look at the position of the party today. Like I said earlier on, if the party were to be in power at the federal government, probably any kind of chairman can do the work. But now that the party is not in power, it is quite a different case.

Especially now that the party is not in power, I have those skills that others probably do not have.
What we want to do in 2019 is to remove the government in power. At the lowest level, I have removed the government in power in 2003. I did it successfully without any bloodshed, without anything. I have also run elections in various level. Apart from Ogun state, in 2010 to 2011, I coordinated the Presidential election in the South-West. I also happen to was governor that have network for several years. In this process the network of governor is very important. I have a lot of network which I have acquired in the course of being a governor and doing my business. When you begin to take the aggregate of all this together you will actually come to the conclusion that I have the capacity to do it. But not only that, I am a pioneer. I have always been a pioneer in my life. I am a pioneer in hostile environment.
I left a lucrative and well paid job and came to start Kresta Laurel. When I started Kresta Laurel, I was the secretary, the technician, the Managing Director. I have been able to grow Kresta Laurel today that it is probably operating in about eight major cities in the country with over 600 workers. Come rain or shine, we are still paying salaries. I think I have that capacity.
I will be surprised if APC has not fixed a Chairmanship aspirant to weaken PDP. That is where PDP has to very careful. If I am to strategise for APC, I will ensure that the worst candidate is positioned for PDP chairman. That will make my own job easy. If you open your eyes to allow the best person to emerge that makes your own job to retain power to become difficult. So I will not be surprised at all if all manner of opposition have have their hands into it to ensure that the better side do not emerge.
All the candidates are talking. If you look at it, I am the one that is attacked most.
The only thing we can do is to pray that those who will vote should open their eyes wide. We have problems in the country. We complain every now and then that things are not well and when it is time to make a change we refuse to make a change that will make things better. Then when things become worst we begin to gnash our teeth. We are the cause. This has happened over and over again.
That takes me to your question. What are we going to do differently?
Most of the times, the differences we make are subjective based on people’s perspective. Yes, we will play politics. But it should not be as dirty as people want us to play it. Let’s play it with facts and figures. And I think that against the administration that we have today, it is not a question of if we like them or we do not like them. What are the figures? What are the statistics? What is the scene? What is the exchange rate of the Naira today compared to when he got there? Has corruption been reduced? We need to ask ourselves all these questions. And as people who are educated, we need to ask ourselves all these questions intelligently and then try to back it up with statistics. Has corruption reduced? I am not so sure. Has security improved? I am not so sure. Has road infrastructure improved? I am not so sure. Has anything differently been done in the railway transport system? I am not so sure. We are all in the position to say beyond the rhetoric; what are the facts? And based on those facts, we can begin to make informed decisions.
On amore serious note, I want to commence a tour to see all the delegates in all the 36 states. I am tryig to answer your question if money is going to be involved. We need money. In some locations we have to go with vehicles, in other area we have to fly. Where we cannot return we have to sleep in hotel. So definitely money has to be involved.

The tour will start on Wednesday and it will go on for the month of November.
If I did not win I will go to my business. This is service. If we have the opportunity to serve, we will do it well to the best of my knowledge. If it works fine and if it did not work, life goes on.
……Do not let us make mistake about our country’s situation politically today. Much more than it used to be, people are now very much aware. It is now very difficult to fool the people. To that extent, I think that if we use the tool of communication, for instance, this tool of online that you people have today, if that was there when I was Governor actively, certain things will not happen the way they did. Now it is difficult to tell lies because people will find out. If there is some thing we are doing here now, before you now, people will call me from America. That is how it has become these days. People are aware of the polity. And I think that is good for the politics.
…….In the course of my consultation I have gone round and discovered that all the different strata of all those I met are unhappy. Wealthy people who suppose to be member of the status quo are not happy,. The biggest factors are the commoners. They are saying that there is no food on the table.. When you look at the various strata, everybody is not happy. This government is just lucky because of the level of sophistications now. It does not get to this level before you have other kind of intervention. But thank God to technology, thank God sophistication. So everybody is now waiting for 2019 to see whether if we can change the change. If we are able to change the change, then goodluck to Nigeria and congratulation to democracy.
The only people who are standing now are the direct beneficiaries of the administraton.. They are very few. Even within their fold, there are complaints; they are waiting to cross over.