On behalf of the National Working Committee headed by Prince Uche Secondus, The State Executive Committee and The Entire Leadership of our Great Party, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all Lagosians and indeed all our teeming members a very Happy and Prosperous New Year.
I would however like to reiterate that this few hours into the New Year should be a time for sober reflections and an opportunity for us all to propagate Peace, Love, Tolerance, Respect, Discipline and absolute Loyalty to our party when carrying out our various responsibilities as ambassadors.
I hereby seize this opportunity to make a Clarion call to all Elders and Leaders to show their respective followers more Love and affection in the New Year by extending financial and physical support to the various Local Government, ward and Zonal Excos and by extension our teaming members in the grassroot.
In the same vein, I urge all leaders to get more involved in financing developmental programs like Sports Tournaments, Youth vocational programs and very importantly Women Empowerment Programs, as these programs would only help our party grow in membership during the course of the year.
Moreover, we do implore all loyal members to get directly involved in the on-going house to house mobilisation exercises which was initiated by the State Exco in the Lagos East Senatorial District just before the last Senatorial Election.
It is important to note that, our administration would not, and does not frown at the applaudable acts of distributing palliatives to our teeming members by Leaders, especially those that need it the most, but this must be done with the proper approval and authorization especially during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic surge which is ravaging our State at this point and time.
The health and life of our teeming members must be paramount and above all other Interest.
We should all take note that as a party, we are not above the law, and we should all be aware that any violation of State COVID-19 laws by the party stops on my desk as the State Chairman, and this expectedly would attract punishment by the state authorities.
This punishment could be in the form of Express Closure of the secretariat, Jail term, Fine or worse still all.
Henceforth, the State Secretariat would be partially closed to members due to the state lockdown on gatherings, while visitations to any member of the CWC would be on appointment basis and the invite/request to visit should be communicated to the Administrative Secretary during the day from 11am to 3pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Official clearance would be given by the State officer to be visited.
Furthermore, usage of the Secretariat for any meetings would henceforth be approved by the office of the State Organising Secretary.
Our State Secretariat should not be seen as a meeting arena for all and sundry, Market place or a club house.
Finally, I would like to stress to all Officers and Elders the importance of selflessness, Loyalty and Passion in the process of supporting, nominating or electing candidates who will fly the party’s flag in the upcoming Local Government Council/ Local Council Development Area Elections.
The State Executive Committee is wary of the influx of individuals who only seek our party nomination/ticket only to jettison the party structure/platform and loyal, bonafide constituency members at the ninetieth hour after being presented with the party ticket.
I would advise that vigorous screening exercise must be conducted at ward levels before allowing prospective aspirants emerge as serious contenders in the future.
It would not be far fetched to state that the New Year is like a blank book with a pen in our hands, this is our opportunity to write a beautiful story for ourselves in the year 2021 as posterity will judge us accordingly.
I hereby also send my best regards to all our Brothers and Sisters who are Non-Indigenes in the state, we can only assure you that we would carry you along as we chart a New course while positioning our party towards achieving its rightful position in Terms of Governing Lagos State come 2023.
It is my prayer that the New Year ushers in tremendous Joy, Happiness and Goodluck that would take us all to our desired heights.
While we also pray that the New Year ushers in more wonderful things for us all as individuals and collectively as a party.
Once again, Keep Safe and I wish you a Happy New Year.
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Long Live Lagos State
Long Live the Peoples Democratic Party.
Engr Adedeji Doherty
Chairman PDP Lagos State
