- Demand opposition Party’s restructuring
- Chairman’s exit must follow due process – Atiku
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Despite efforts at fence-mending by stakeholders, the post-presidential primary crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not over, with the Governor of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde insisting that the Party National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, must go for peace to reign.
Rehearsing their demands that the presidential candidate and Chairman cannot come from the same northern zone, Governor Makinde said Southwest PDP stakeholders consider Ayu’s resignation as the baseline for restructuring and unification in the nation’s opposition party going forward.
He said with the contention arising from the distribution of party’s positions still subsisting and not urgently resolved before the 2023 elections, the fear of exclusion and frayed nerves will be assuaged in the Southwest geo-political zone.
The Oyo Governor, who challenged the PDP’s hierarchy to address its pre-election errors, said; “If we want to unify Nigeria, we must unify PDP first. If we want a government of national unity, it must reflect in the PDP. If we want to restructure Nigeria, we must restructure PDP first.”
Pointedly taking a swipe at what he termed as the insensitive composition of the PDP’s structure currently, Governor Makinde said; “Our presidential candidate is from the Northeast. Our national chairman is from Northcentral. The Director-General of the Atiku Campaign Organisation, Aminu Tambuwal, is from the Northwest. So, the PDP national chairman should step down.”
According to him; “There’s a saying that when two brothers go into a room to talk and they come out laughing, they say, the likelihood is that, they have not told themselves the truth. But, when two brothers come out looking forlorn, that means they must have told themselves the truth.
“People have spoken here and they have spoken about the positive sides of things. But we do have challenges in our party. We have issues to address, but one good thing is we have the capacity to address those issues.
“I have seen people abuse me on social media, saying this thing is about Wike, Makinde, Ortom, Ikpeazu, or Ughanyi. The truth is we do not have any issues either with our party or with our candidate. If there are challenges, we must bring them to the table so that we can address them to ensure that our journey is smooth and we can get to our destination. This is not about individuals.
“I see people talk, saying this happened during our presidential convention or because someone was selected as a vice presidential candidate. Those are issues that are behind us; it has happened; it has happened. And this is where we are. Are there issues coming out of those that we need to address so that we can be successful at the end of the day? The answer is yes and we will address them.
“Integrity and honour must be a part of our national psyche. The Yoruba have a saying that if someone promises to give you cloth, you will firstly look at what he or she is wearing. If the person is wearing what is befitting then, you know that the person has the capacity to give you what you can wear.”
Furthermore, Governor Makinde, who is considered the Leader of PDP in the South-West Zone, said; “When we launched our new party logo, we said we wanted to rescue Nigeria. Our candidate is a unifier; he will unify Nigeria. We want to restructure Nigeria.
“I have listened to our candidate publicly and privately. I have had interactions also with him. He mooted the idea of a government of national unity. Privately, he said to me that in 1999, he won the election at the national level, but he wanted others to come and he moved towards almost a Government of National Unity.
“He invited individuals from other political parties to join the national government. So, our party is talking about unifying this country. We are talking about the government of national unity because eight years of APC has left us badly divided. Well, the issue is we must practice what we preach. If we want to unify Nigeria, we must unify PDP first.
“If we want a government of national unity, the faces in PDP must reflect national unity. If we want to restructure Nigeria, we must have the willingness to do what is right to bring inclusivity into PDP. So, the message from the Southwest region is that there are a few things that you can do for us post-election. Once the election is won, there are things that you can do for us.
“But, before the elections, the Southwest PDP wants a situation where your message to Nigerians can resonate and the only way that can happen is the face of PDP. Everything that PDP stands for in terms of unifying this country, in terms of restructuring the country, in terms of looking at a government of national unity, must be reflected in PDP moving towards the election.
“The Southwest PDP is asking that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP be restructured. Our candidate is from the Northeast. The PDP national chairman is from the Northcentral. Governor Aminu Tambuwal, the Director General of the Atiku campaign, is from the Northwest.”
Stretching his message further, the Oyo State Chief Executive said; “We must resolve the issue of what we have in the face of Nigerians by asking the National Chairman to step down so that the PDP in the Southern part can have a sense of belonging.”
In his remarks, the National Chairman, Iyiorcha Ayu, represented by the Acting Chairman, Ilya Damagum, thanked Governor Makinde for hosting the meeting and pleaded with Party members to remain united and focused in a trying period.
Damagum, who tasked members with committing themselves to the party, promised that they will be adequately rewarded in due time, assuring that the PDP considered diversity in the choice of its presidential candidate and running mate.
Also speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting, Vice Presidential candidate and Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa said only the PDP has a written blueprint for Nigeria, describing the Party’s flag bearer as the required medication for healing the country.
For him, it would risky to have any other person as such a venture will be exposing the country to its untimely death.
Also addressing the meeting, Osun State Governor-elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke said Nigeria needs Atiku as a unifier and bridge builder, whose economic blueprint is the best for the country.
He urged the South West geo-political zone to rally around the Wazirin Adamawa as the man to salvage the nation’s sinking ship.
Speaking on behalf of former governors, Oyinlola said the region had agreed that its demands should be presented at the meeting by Makinde.
Olujimi, who spoke on behalf of federal legislators, said Atiku should be supported by the region in 2023.
Prior to the interactive meeting, the Atiku-led delegation was received by Makinde at the Agodi Government House, Ibadan, after which they proceeded to Ogunlesi Hall, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan for a closed-door meeting with the party hierarchy in the state.
Atiku Meets Makinde, Fayose, Others In Ibadan
In his conciliatory shuttle to the South West zone, the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar on Wednesday met Governor Seyi Makinde, former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and other party stalwarts in a closed-door in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
But, the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who met with Southwest PDP leaders and candidates in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, said if Ayu must resign, his exit must follow due process.
Competent sources at the meeting, which discussed the Party’s future ahead of the 2023 general elections, said Atiku Abubakar explained to his hosts that Ayu’s exit as the National Chairman must follow due process.
The former Vice President, accompanied by his running mate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and the Party’s top hierarchy, was received at the Alakia Airport, Ibadan by the Oyo State Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal
Atiku’s entourage included Sokoto State Governor, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state; Senator Dino Melaye; Governor-elect of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke; former Niger State Governor, Alhaji Babangida Aliyu; former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose; Ogun State Governorship Candidate, Ladi Adebutu, former FCT Minister of State, Mrs Jumoke Akinjide, Senator Abiodun Olujimi, and a host it others.
