PDP crisis: BoT wades in, meets Okowa, others in Abuja

PDP crisis: BoT wades in, meets Okowa, others in Abuja

In continuation of its peace-building efforts, the Senator Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has met with the Vice Presidential Candidate of the party, Ifeanyi Okowa.

The meeting which was held behind closed doors at the Delta State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, on Saturday, afforded the BoT and the candidate an opportunity to speak frankly about the outstanding issues hindering genuine reconciliation in order to seek the way forward.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the meeting, Acting Chairman of the BoT, Sen. Adophus Wabara, said, “Yes, we came as the special reconciliation committee of the board of trustees to visit our vice presidential, candidate, Governor Okowa on the ongoing crisis, and also to prefer solutions to those issues.

“We were properly briefed by His Excellency the vice presidential candidate on these issues.

“The committee is enlightened now on the issues and we’re moving forward. Like I said the last time, we have been going around and we met most of the governors.”

While speaking on the next step for the BoT, Wabara said, “In the coming days, we will also meet with the principal, the Presidential candidate, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and from there we will proceed to meet with Governor Wike.

“We have met with some other governors, we have me Governor Samuel Ortom, Governor Seyi Makinde, Governor Seyi Makinde, Governor Ahmadu Fintri, Governor Ikpeazu and Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.

“We have what it takes to resolve this, and very soon we will resolve all these issues.“

In his remarks, the Delta State Governor, who is also the PDP Vice Presidential Candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, said, “We are talking amongst ourselves as governors realizing that there are several leaders within our party from across the country. We’ve been talking with ourselves.

“I believe that they’re still a little work to be done but a lot has been done. We are largely reconciled. There are still issues to be dealt with. That’s why you see some of the leaders of the party the Board of Trustees here today.

“We have had very useful discussions on what they could do and what we ought to continue to do as a party.

“But, because the PDP is a very large party, we understand that yet, there is some level of disagreement, but we will continue to stay in touch with ourselves to resolve the issues.

“Last Tuesday on the 27th we were in the southeast. Our brother, the governor of Enugu state, hosted us very well. That’s a very positive step forward.

“We had very useful interactions with all our leaders in the southeast and I think that is a great plus for us as a party.

“And I believe too that you’re aware, too that we were in the southwest where we were very well received by Governor Seyi Makinde and the stakeholders of the party.

“The few issues are still left on the table. I’m sure we’ll come to discuss it and in the next few days, we are convinced that will be largely reconciled.

“Governors and other members who are aggrieved are members of the party. I believe that my brothers would all work for the party, PDP is home and they belong to that home.

“They’re not going to destroy their home. So, we will allow it together. I do believe that we’ll continue to talk with ourselves and resolve the little issues that are left.

“Where we are at the moment is quite a difficult situation for this country. The country has never been as divided as this. The level of insecurity has not been this bad.

“Our economy is worse hit we have never gone this bad. When you look at the issues of education, look at the state of affairs in the various states there are obvious issues. Atiku is the only one who is best positioned to truly deal with the issues of Nigeria at the moment.

“We don’t want those who are going to come to the office to learn on the job, because we are in a critical position. So we need a man who has the experience who also has the level of humility and calmness, who is detribalized and ready to keep Nigeria together.

“Because until we understand that we need to trust ourselves and work together as a nation, whether you are a Christian or Muslim until we get to that level of understanding we may not be able to take Nigeria out of where it is at the moment.”

He further said, “I believe that Atiku Abubakar is the answer to Nigeria. He has committed himself very clearly in his document to Nigeria ‘My Covenant with Nigerians’ others are still thinking of what they are going to do. They have not been able to commit themselves so that we can truly see of truth if they have a pathway to solving the problems of Nigeria.”

Okowa described the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar as the man that is prepared for the job of rescuing Nigeria.

According to him, unlike most of the candidates of the other candidates, Atiku is not going to learn on the job and that he is a one-man that is acceptable across the six geo-political zones of this nation.

He further said, “There is no other person that has the kind of credentials that he has. Atiku is the right person, Nigerians should think deeply and let us be guided that we need to work collectively to take Nigeria out of the decay that we have found ourselves.

“It Is important that Nigerians work and support the PDP to deliver the Nigeria of our choice as we move into the future.“

Those who attended the closed-door meeting include former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, Former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedokun amongst others.