The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has organised a one-day orientation and capacity building training for 55 independent observers to monitor its forthcoming congress in 24 states.
One of the training facilitators, Daboikiabo Warmate, said the workshop demonstrated the Umar Damagum-led National Working Committee’s commitment to ensure internal democracy in PDP.
Warmate said that the party’s NWC was poised to organise a transparent congress to elect party executives in 24 states at the ward, local government and state levels.
“Congress is the lifewire of the party. Hence, the observers are going to monitor the election of executive members of the party across 24 states.
“The party felt there is need to have independent observers. This is the first time independent observers are to be engaged to observe the congresses of the PDP.
“No party has done that before, but the present NWC under the leadership of Damagum, said they should have such a team in order to enshrine internal democracy within the party,” he said.
Warmate, a chieftain of the PDP said that the independent observers, cutting across different professions including the academia, civil servants among others, were engaged with independent facilitators, without any form of interference from the party NWC.
He said that the observers were expected to observe the exercise and send their executive report to the party to further help improve the process in the future.
Warmate commended the party leadership for the initiative and for not interfering in the process of selecting the observers, this according to him showed that PDP is truly a transparent party that belonged to the people. He urged the accredited observers to ensure they do the right thing, respect the culture of the people, and be conscious of their security while on the field.
The Guest Trainer, a Lecturer, Faculty of Art and Education, University of Abuja, Prof. John Okoni, described the training as a step in the right direction.
Okoni said that the training would help the accredited observers to acquire the requisite knowledge to observe the congress and file their report.
He advised the accredited observers to equip themselves with the party constitution, guidelines and other detailed information for the congress.
“PDP has decided to take a step by training the observers. They are supposed to present facts. They are not supposed to have colouring.
Another Guest Trainer on Human Management and Information Generation, Mr. Taiwo Oyesola, advised the observers to employ emotional intelligence when monitoring the congress.
“When you are dealing with politicians, like I said, human beings are the most difficult resource to manage.
“To manage them, you need to arm yourself with understanding. You must have a very good intelligence quotient to be able to manage people.
“You don’t see somebody that is already losing and you want to interview such a person. You won’t get the best out of that person. (NAN)
