PDP crisis: Party to settle out of court with Amaechi But for dragging Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to court, the disagreement between the party’s leadership and Governor Chibuike Amaechi of River State would have been resolved, the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, has said. Akpabio made the disclosure in Abuja yesterday at Legacy House, during the inauguration of the party’s special convention committee headed by Professor Jerry Gana. Akpabio is the deputy chairman of the committee. The Akwa Ibom State governor who spoke on Amaechi’s predicament, explained that even though the matter was subjudice, he, as the chairman of the PDP-Governors Forum, was exploring ways of bringing back Amaechi to the fold through dialogue and consensus building This is as the national chairman of the party, Alhaji Dr. Bamanga Tukur, has insisted that PDP, by the successful hosting of the NEC meeting, has proved “that it is a political institution which has come to stay in Nigeria’s political hemisphere and it cannot disintegrate as doomsday prophets are bound to conjuncture and surmise.” Said Akpabio: “I recall the other day, a press man asked me: You recalled the governor of Sokoto State through the instrumentality of the president, what about the Governor of Rivers State? I answered him that the Governor of Sokoto State did not go to court and the other matter regarding my brother, the Governor of Rivers State, is in court and therefore subjudice. “But, we are exploring every means to ensure outof- court settlement and we are bringing everybody to the fold. It is important that you note that we are determined through the PDP-Governors Forum to bring back everybody. The intention of the Forum is not to lose a single person. Instead, we want to increase in the number. Akpabio also said there were serious efforts at reconciling other governors on the fold of the party, who were uncomfortable with the party’s decision on the Nigeria Governors Forum election. “PDP will always be in a position to resolve issues internally without externalising it and I was very happy with what happened yesterday at NEC. Reconciliation among governors is on-going. If you notice yesterday, we have almost all the governors of PDP there. Even the recently recalled brother of mine and Governor of Sokoto State, attended the meeting. “If there was any PDP governor that was not there, he probably was on official duty for the federal government because I know that the Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, is a member of the NIPP Committee that is going around looking for investors in the power sector. I think they travelled to Hong Kong and his deputy was there. So, you can see that peace is gradually returning to PDP and I can assure you that all the issues would be resolved…. “I remember when I came in 2003, we were 29 in number but we have reduced to 23 and we are determined. I want to tell you we have Governorship election coming up in Anambra, Osun and Ekiti states and PDP is ready to work together and face the opponent. “You know that outside the internal wrangling, PDP is the only truly national party. We are the only party that has representation in all the 774 local governments in the country and wards; it is the only party that is not owned by a godfather; it the only party that is owned by all Nigerians and you can see how robust we are to recline, recede and move forward in a robust manner and this shows that we are working for the betterment of Nigerians.” Giving hope that the PDP would remain one strong force to reckon with in politics in the country, Tukur, in a statement by his special assistant, Prince Oliver Okpara, said he was prepared, in conjunction with party faithfuls, to take the PDP to greater heights and to the next level under the three cardinals of Rehabilitation, Rebuilding and Reconciliation. “Alhaji Dr. Bamanga Tukur also commended all members of the party for their understanding and prayer and affirmed that the PDP is certainly a resilient and big political organisation blessed with the ability to resolve her internal differences without acrimony, rancour, bitterness and recrimination.” Tukur also thanked state governors of the party and other stakeholders in the party across the country who he said had worked assiduously to provide dividend of democracy to Nigerians, and who have by their conduct, performances and work made the PDP the party of first choice for Nigerians at large. He also thanked President Jonathan for standing solidly behind the party and providing strong and unifying leadership which has made it possible for the party to be a great political family. “The outcome of the NEC meeting shows that the PDP is a strong and peaceful political association of likeminded patriots and nationalists united in their resolve to take our country to greater heights irrespective of minor political differences,” Said Tukur. But PDP also announced yesterday that it would embark on fresh nominations to fill the vacant posts existing as a result of the resignation of 21 members of its National Executive Committee (NEC). On his part, chairman of the party’s Special National Convention, Professor Jerry Gana, said the party would throw open nomination of candidates for the positions that are now vacant in the party, but that the zonal arrangements stands, except where there are serious observations to that effect.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 05:20:18 +0000