The former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has congratulated the newly elected National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu, and other 20 national officers-elect during the just concluded National Convention of the party.

In a statement released to the press by his Media Adviser, Uche Anichukwu, in Abuja on Sunday, said the emergence of Ayu and other national officers would give the PDP the much-needed renewed vigour and focus required to rescue Nigeria.

Ekweremadu equally commended the Elder Yemi Akinnwonmi-led leadership of the party and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri-led National Convention Planning Committee for seamless and transparent elections, saying the PDP has disappointed her evil wishers.

“This is hearty congratulations to the newly elected national officers of our great party, the PDP. Given the pedigree and antecedents of our National Chairman-elect and his team, I have no doubt that we got it right.

“Nigeria is in dire need of rescue from the clutches of divisiveness, criminal cartels, vaunting bandits and insurgents, collapsing economy (to put it mildly), and secessionist agitations occasioned by injustice and marginalisation.

“There is no doubt that we have in place a highly promising team led by a widely-accepted, disciplined, experienced, and pan-Nigerian politician in the person of Distinguished Senator Iyorchia Ayu, that will help mobilise party faithful and Nigerians at home and the diapora for the success of this mission,” he said.

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On the just-concluded convention, the lawmaker, who also chaired the Screening Appeal Panel of the Convention, said: “I must commend our party leaders and elders as well as the Governor Ahmadu Fintiri-led National Convention Planning Committee for giving the party a highly transparent, seamless, and credible convention. The party has disappointed the evil wishers.

“The first task before the elected national officers even before their inauguration is to work with the incumbent party leadership and elders to extend hands of fellowship and assuage party members, who are aggrieved for one reason or the other.

“We are one big family and the larger national and party interest should always prevail, especially at a time like this when the nation is seriously threatened”.

He wished Ayu and his team a highly successful tenure.