Niger PDP Gets New Chairman

Laleye Dipo in Minna

There was wild jubilation at the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat in Minna, Niger State, following the election of Mr. Tanko Beji, as the party’s state chairman on Saturday.

The Chairman of the State Congress Committee and Deputy Governor of Benue State, Mr. Benson Abuonu, made the announcement late Saturday throwing the party faithful into wild jubilation.

Abuonu had announced that Beji, who would begin a second term as chairman polled 2,095 votes out of the total 2,305 delegates accredited for the contest while Mr. Mukhtar Ahmed recorded only eight votes. The party supporters went into unchecked jubilation shouting the PDP slogan, hugging each other and praising members of the organising committee for a job well done immediately the result was announced.

The drumming and singing took the jubilating supporters through the streets of Minna in the thick of the night though the police were on hand to ensure there action did not degenerate.

Abuonu expressed gratitude to God for successfully conducting a hitch free congress after two previous exercises had been botched leading to the emergence of two factions in the party.

Beji, in his acceptance speech, expressed gratitude to all the party leaders, supporters and stakeholders for the trust reposed in him leading to his emergence as chairman for a second term.

He promised to carry everyone along saying that the umbrella is big enough to provide shade for every peace loving member of the party.

“This is the time for us to be more united because of the big task ahead, the 2023 general elections promising to lead the party to reclaim the governorship of the state in that election

“We should hit the ground running and work as a team to ensure we reclaim the state from the APC and stop the misrule the people have been going through,” Beji said.

Prominent among those that attended the congress were former Information Minister, Professor Jerry Gana, former Deputy Governor of Niger State, Dr. Shem Zagbayi Nuhu, the PDP’s National Treasurer, Mr. M. Maibasira, Senator Zaynab Kure and Mr. Umar Mohammed Nasko.

The congress was conducted peacefully under the watchful eyes of men of the Nigeria Police despite the heavy rains on Saturday.