A 2027 presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sandy Onor, has disclosed that there is nothing to worry about regarding the absence of PDP Governors going into the general elections.
Speaking after he was screened for the presidential primaries, Onor submitted that the presence of some of the Governors represented a problem for the party.
He added that their exit was beneficial to the party and the PDP would now be able to focus on grassroots mobilization.
“So I’m not bothered at all about whether we have governors in the PDP presently or not. Some of these governors were even a problem to us. It’s good that they left.
“We believe that our campaign will be centred on the grassroots. We believe that the people of this country yearn for change, and we reflect that change. We understand where they are. We know what they are going through. We are going to speak their language,” he stated.
Naijaonpoint reports that Onor also described himself as the best fit for the PDP ticket. According to him, experiences gathered while serving as a Local Government Chairman, Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission in Cross River State, Commissioner for Agriculture, Commissioner for Environment, and later a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, set him apart.
“So you can see that I enjoy robust experience across the three tiers of government. I don’t think there’s any other candidate who shares that distinction with me,” he said.
Addressing concerns about the leadership crisis rocking the PDP, the presidential hopeful insisted that the party had moved beyond its internal crisis.
He submitted that the only recognized PDP is the one led by Abdulrahman Mohammed, which is aligned with Nyesom Wike.
“The narrative that the PDP still has issues is fertilised by the press. It is you that gives the impression that we still have issues. We have no issues.
“There is only one PDP led by Alhaji Abdulrahman, and that is the narrative you must tell the people,” he said.
Commenting on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Onor said opposition politics should not be based on condemning every government policy, noting that some decisions of the current administration deserve commendation.
On the fuel subsidy removal, he stated that the President Tinubu did the right thing, but the benefits of the subsidy removal had not been adequately felt by ordinary Nigerians because of poor implementation and lack of accountability.
“This president came on his very first day in office, removed subsidy, and released a lot of funds for development.
“I think that those who are his subordinates have not done justice to the enormous funds released by virtue of the subsidy removal,” he added.
On insecurity, the PDP aspirant linked rising violence and instability to poverty and unemployment at the grassroots level.
“One of the basic issues driving insecurity is grassroots poverty. We must look for ways and means of ensuring that our young men across Nigeria are meaningfully engaged,” he said.
He advocated stronger local government autonomy and direct funding, adding that he would push such reforms if elected.
“When you have local governments that are not properly funded, you will have a lot of ungoverned spaces in the country.
“I will ensure that local governments are properly funded. And I will ensure that youth unemployment is checked. Youths must be meaningfully engaged,” Onor said.
