Acceptance Speech By The Rivers State PDP Chairman, His Excellency Desmond Akawor

Protocol,

2. I stand here today to thank God Almighty for this opportunity to hit the climax on a journey started on the 14th of March 2020, being the day of the ward congress which spun into LGA congress , State congress, the inauguration of the wards, LGA and today the state party officers. Indeed, the finger of God is in the affairs of Rivers State PDP.
3. May I specially pay tribute to a man who has made himself available as an instrument God has used to create a new Rivers vision. A man who heed the clarion call when this party was thrown into the oblivion, and with a few compatriots recovered the glory of the party. May I salute the courage, patriotism, and doggedness of His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, GSSRS, POS, Africa. The leader of our party in Rivers State. The pride of Rivers People and The Governor of Rivers State. Your excellency on behalf of my colleagues, I salute your uprightness and Resilience in weathering all the storms and today providing this platform of the party for us to make our own contributions to the new Rivers vision.
4. Your Excellency, my senior brother, Prince Uche Secondus, The National Chairman of our great party. History has it that your performance on this seat as a State Chairman of our party, earned you the acronym Total Chairman. Today it is known across the length and breath of this country that you have redefined the meaning of opposition, by creating impetus to credibility of opposition and putting the ruling party on their toes. National chairman we thank you for all the support given to our Governor and standing by the party at our state level. May I through you send our felicitation to members of the national working committee.
5. I stand here today as the 5th state chairman of our party to take the baton of the relay race from Brother Felix Ameachi Obuah. A man who was a teammate to our governor in wrestling the party out of the lion’s den. A man who has secured victory for the party back to back. A man who added colour and flavour to party activities. Your loyalty and commitment, up to few minutes ago has seen this party to where it is today. Mbanabaragu1of Orashi region. On behalf of my team we are grateful for all the opportunities and hard work you have put into see our great party and indeed the state to flourish to this enviable height. Through you we express our gratitude to your entire team.
6. We owe greatest gratitude to the electorates, our party men and women, across the 4442 units of the state for all your contribution in keeping faith with our party.
7. That we are in themidst of crisis is now well understood, our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened. I can hear the cries of our people from Sokoto to Bayelsa, Ibadan to Enugu. Rivers State is not insulated from these crises. The situation at hand is worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic that has ravaged the whole world. Let no one make mistake, these challenges are real. May I at this point in time, on behalf of Rivers men and women appreciate His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for having the political will, in the midst of fears and foes to be the first Governor in the Country to lockdown the borders of Rivers State. In consonance with your covenant with Rivers people, that decision of yours, can only be imagined, when Rivers State is placed side by side Lagos and F.C.T.
8. For my team and I, we make this solemn commitment to build on the strength and the success already recorded by our predecessors. We reaffirm that our Loyalty to the leader of the party and our people will never be in doubt at any point in time.
9. In the next few weeks and months, we will reembark on aggressive reconciliation of maybe aggrieved party members. We will be able to massage egos. At the same time, party discipline will not be compromised. Let me use this medium to speak to our brothers and sisters who defected to other parties to now prepare their luggage for homecoming. Do not make mistakes, this umbrella is a symbol for every Rivers man and woman.
10. For all those detractors who do not mean well for Rivers state, your time has expired, the party will no longer tolerate any reign of abuse from any quarter against decisions from any programme of the state by those who are not informed and want to play to the public gallery. Enough is Enough.

11       May I conclude, by thanking the entire Rivers men and women, for standing by the People Democratic Party. We today reaffirm to serve the state with fear of God.

God bless PDP

God bless Rivers State.