As part of the efforts to douse the tension enveloping the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its Board of Trustees (BoT) has mandated governors on the platform of the party, lawmakers, ex-ministers, among others to end the party crisis.
To this end, the BoT has set up a committee to interface with internal contending forces with a view to heading into the December national convention as a united platform.
Rising from an emergency meeting at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja on Thursday, the board, which describes itself as the “conscience of the party,” harped on the need to have a free and fair elective convention where its new set of national leaders will emerge.
The board posited that the party cannot afford to be fragmented at a time Nigerians are looking up to it as an alternative to the faltering ruling party.
The committee, which is due to commence its work in the next 72 hours, is also made up of members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Former Senate President, David Mark, who spoke on the outcome of the meeting, said that the committee is mandated to holistically resolve the party crises.
“We resolved at the meeting to set up a committee that will look at the situation. The committee is made up of the governors, members of the BoT, members of the National Assembly, all the members of the National Working Committee, former governors, former ministers, so that they can holistically resolve the problems,” he said.
He added that the envisaged solution will not only stop the current defections from the PDP but will also make it a stronger political party.
“It will not only stop the current crises, but it will also lead to providing a better environment to make us far more united and make us stronger as a party,” he added.
Lending his voice, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, affirmed that members of the party are committed to the resolution of the crises bedeviling it, calling for party unity to salvage the country.
Saraki stated: “We all came together to addresses some issues and because of the urgency of the matter, we agreed to set up this committee urgently and within the next 48 to 72 hours, they will meet and at the end of that meeting, the country will see the direction the party is going.
“The commitment of everybody to attend that meeting and subject themselves to the decision of that meeting shows the interest of everybody.
“The presence of all of us here is because this meeting of today was important in addressing some of those issues.”
Before the commencement of the meeting, PDP BoT Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin, stressed the importance of the session, saying that with the current condition the All Progressive Congress (APC) administration has left the country, the PDP must put its house in order ahead of the 2023 elections.
He said: “This meeting is very important at this crucial time because of the numerous problems in our party especially lack of coercion within and among major stakeholders that need the intervention of BoT as the highest advisory body and the conscience of the party.
“Similarly, with total disorder coupled with the great confusion in the recent congress of the APC added to its great failure in protecting lives and properties of Nigerians thus making the total collapse of security in all aspect of genuine development, now is the right time for PDP to set its house in order to prepare for the next coming Elective Convention to elect our national party leaders, and preparations for the coming 2023 general election.”
He, therefore, urged party members to put their interest above personal considerations “making sure that new leaders emerge only through the free and fair election at the national convention.”
In his remark, the national chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, called for solutions that will make the PDP a stronger party.
He informed the BoT that nine-state congresses are still pending as he praised the work of the Saraki-led Reconciliation and Strategy Committee in restoring harmony among members.
Secondus stated: “Today’s meeting is critical, not only for members of the National Working Committee (NWC) but the entire party. It is critical because a time like this is a time that we must brace up and be able to come out very strong and even stronger.
“Because I believe that in every human endeavor where there are issues, the issues must be tabled, discuss and come out with solutions. That solution will make our party very very strong.”
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who had been fingered as the brain behind the current upheaval in the party, attended the meeting but left halfway.
Some of the participants at the meeting were PDP National Chairman, Prince Secondus; National Secretary; Senator Umar Ibrahim Tsauri; Deputy National Chairman, North, Senator Suleiman Nazi; former presidents of the Senate Bukola Saraki, David Mark, and Adolphus Wabara. Also present were former state governors including Ahmed Makarfi (Kaduna), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Liyel Imoke (Cross Rivers), and Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun); former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki; former party spokesman, Chief Olisa Metuh; former Foreign Affairs ministers, Aminu Wali and Chief Tom Ikimi; Senator Ben Obi, Shuaib Oyedokun, among others.
Meanwhile, the party’s deputy national publicity secretary, Prince Diran Odeyemi, who was among the seven national officers to resign last Tuesday, plunging the party into a crisis, has withdrawn his resignation. Prince Odeyemi has now vowed to work with the national chairman, Prince Secondus-led National Working Committee to ensure a successful national convention, which will usher in new national officers.
He said in a letter dated August 4, 2021, that his decision to withdraw his resignation “was taken in view of the activation of the internal method of resolving issues by our leaders across the length and breadth of Nigeria.”
The letter reads: “I write to withdraw my letter of resignation as the deputy national publicity secretary of our great party.
“This decision is taken in view of the activation of the internal method of resolving issues by our leaders across the length and breadth of Nigeria.
“I also wish to state expressly that whatever embarrassment the resignation has caused the party, its leaders, members, and supporters are highly regretted.
“Most importantly, in view of the fact that the tenure of myself and other members of the present National Working Committee (NWC) will expire in another three months, it is my view that the boat should not be rocked under any guise.
“Consequently, I pledge my loyalty and commitment to the party and the Prince Uche Secondus led NWC and will continue to play my roles to ensure a successful National Convention, which will usher in new national officers.”
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