President Goodluck Jonathan has said, that despite some disagreements in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party remains intact. He said at this party post convention dinner, Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja yesterday. This is even as the former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the aggrieved governors were conspicuously absent at the dinner meant for reconciliation.
Jonathan described those with grievances as minor, assuring that all would be resolved. He said the dinner was a partial fulfilment of the party’s decision to encourage periodic meetings to interact with party members:
“In any human institutions there must be disagreements. What happened (the factional PDP) is a minor disagreements that can be solved.
“For those who have issues, we thank the elders and governors who have been meeting and listening to them, we are committed to resolving our differences. Even ordinary Nigerians believe PDP must remain one because is the only party that can continue to give leadership.
“Even those that are aggrieved call themselves the new PDP meaning they know without PDP they are nothing. PDP is intact, that we have some disagreements is normal. PDP is intact and will remain intact. Is only PDP that has not changed name or form.”
Vice President Namadi Sambo said the PDP has always provided leadership for others to emulate. Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, noted that Nigeria has faced major challenges in the past and did not break up and Nigeria will not break up under Jonathan’s watch.
The Senate President, David Mark, represented by his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, the Senate is undivided, united and will continue to protect the interest of Nigerians and support this administration. Speaker of the House of Representatives represented by his Deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, said the PDP members in National Assembly will continue to support the party through legislative means.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Tony Anenih, said this is the first time the party was discussing about its future.
He appealed that the task ahead is enormous, “we must be seen as a team not as a group”. He urged Jonathan to come out and declare his intentions by the end of September, that it is no longer right to say the time is not right.
Speaking directly to the factional PDP members, the BOT Chair said, “We will not fire any shot but we will win the war. We should not recognise opposition within PDP.
“We will work together as a team so that by 2015 we will come here again to shake hands. The National Chairman of PDP, Bamanga Tukur emphasised the importance of party loyalty and discipline. “We must learn to accept change in order to build on democratic principles.”
“Our party cannot be relevant to the people only once in four years, when votes are needed, but at every time in order to improve their lot, he said. “Dialogue and reconciliation should be encouraged but our politics should be based on issues rather than personalities”, he said.
Prof. Jerry Gana, described the faction that emerged after the convention as a pre-mediated plan, assuring, however, that the party remains focussed and deep enough to confront it. He noted that the party was going through a difficult times, but appealed that in this time of claims and counter claims, is not a time to show weakness.
He said while reconciliation is good, wonderful and is even encouraged by the Bible, but we should not give room to impression that certain people are indispensable. He said the second appeal, was to remind members of the biggest party in Africa that PDP is for governance, social justice.
“This party is strong, PDP is a family and in a family there must be trust. He said the way some of the family members are behaving , they have demonstrated that there is no trust. “There must be restoration of trust, goodwill, transparency and confidence
“We need trust to remain a strong party and b 2015 we shall do it again”. The Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, in his remarks assured President Jonathan that majority of Nigerians were happy with his leadership.
According to him those absent at last night dinner were towing the wrong path, urging them to return to the good path. He said “Those who are likely not here are those not on the wrong part. We appeal to them to return back to the right part.
“Goodluck and Sambo will take us to the promise land. Loyalty and support is not the word of mouth, it is by action.
“Mr. President 90 per cent of Nigerians are with you and the Chairman of the PDP”. Also the state party chairmen in the 36 states of the federation declared their loyalty for the President now and beyond 2015, they also pledged their loyalty for the national chairman and the governors.
They commended him for his maturity so far and urged him to use his power to resolve the crisis before 2015.
Speaking on behalf of former governors Boni Haruna of Adamawa, accompanied, Dipreye Alamieyesigha (Bayelsa), Jim Nwobudu (old Anambra State), Ikedi Ohahim (Imo), Sam Egwu (Ebonyi), Abdulkadri Kure (Niger), said “we are here to reaffirmed our support for the national leadership of our party, the president and our party.
“PDP gave us a platform to serve our nation, therefore we cannot be part of any plan to dismember PDP. “You can count on us any day and we will be there for you”.
Women group thanked the President for empowering women and for increasing the number of women in appointive and elective offices. “You have to stay back to continue for another four years”. The youth group said their support remain unshaken for a party that has remain consistent in delivering the dividend of democracy.
Governors present were Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Benue (Deputy Governor) Cross River, Delta, Gombe, Katsina, Taraba (Acting Governor), Kebbi, Plateau, Kogi. Others present were former national party chairmen, former members of the National Assembly and former governors.
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