The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, BOT, is intensifying effort to resolve the lingering differences between Governor Nyesom Wike’s aggrieved group and the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar.
Former senate president, Senator Adolphus Wabara, is leading other members of the BOT to hold crucial meetings with critical stakeholders including the Rivers State governor, who the main opposition party has so far been unable to pacify, since Atiku chose his Delta State counterpart, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his vice presidential candidate.
The BOT reconciliation committee has already met with Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Sam Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) as part of moves to iron out their grouses before the full commencement of campaigns.
The committee met with Okowa in Abuja on Saturday after which Senator Wabara told reporters that they will meet with Atiku and Wike in the coming days.
Speaking to press men after meeting Okowa at the Delta State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, the former Senate President 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 proffer solutions to those issues,”
“Like I said the last time, we have been going around and we met most of the governors. 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 met Governor Samuel Ortom, Governor Seyi Makinde, Governor Seyi Makinde, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, Governor Ikpeazu and Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.”
In his remarks, Okowa said even though there are some issues yet to be resolved, substantial progress has been made in achieving the desired unity in the PDP.
The Vice presidential candidate said: “We are talking amongst ourselves as governors realising that there are several leaders within our party from across the country. We’ve been talking with ourselves.
“I believe that there is still a little work to be done but a lot has been done. We are lightly 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.
On whether the party will move on if it is not able to pacify the Wike group, Okowa stated: “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.”