The Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Tony Anenih, has been heavily criticized for saying that the aggrieved seven governors have genuine grievances.
The governors are Aliyu Babangida (Niger), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara).
Rising from a meeting at the residence of Ijaw leader, Edwin Clark in Abuja, a group- Congress for Equality called on the BOT Chairman to stand solidly behind President Goodluck Jonathan and Bamanga Tukur, against the chieftains of the ‘New PDP’.
Also present at the meeting were former Federal Commissioner, Edwin Clark, former Minister of Police Affairs, Maj.Gen. David Jemibewon, General IBM Haruna (rtd) and Ameh Ebute.
In a communiqué signed by Mr. Ebute, the group said that Anenih should not have said that the aggrieved governors had genuine complaints but rather “should distance himself from the demands of these so-called ‘aggrieved governors ‘ and join Tukur to work for the party in truth and spirit.”
The Edwin Clark-led group insisted that the demand of the aggrieved governors that President Jonathan should denounce his 2015 ambition and restrain the Economic and Financial Crime Commission from harassing them would not be met.
“Every past Head of State or President had weakness, but such weaknesses were not sufficient to deny them their constitutional right to vie for a second term, “the communiqué read in part.
Meanwhile, the BOT Chairman has again sued for peace, saying inflammatory statements would only succeed in escalating the crisis rather than resolving it.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday- “A Call for Caution”, Anenih posited that it amounts to act of disrespect for President Jonathan if chieftains would continue to fire salvo why reconciliation is ongoing.
He therefore, assured the two factions that a wider consultation has been scheduled with former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday morning, with a follow-up meeting with the aggrieved governors next week Tuesday.
The statement reads, “Following the walk-out staged by some aggrieved members of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the special Convention of 31st August, 2013, there have been genuine efforts by the leadership of the party, including the President himself, to reach out and reconcile with the aggrieved members, using the numerous mechanisms for conflict resolution that exist in the party.
“A series of meetings have been held and more are scheduled to hold in the next few days. It is unfortunate that while the reconciliation efforts are being made, some of our members are making inflammatory statements, intimidating one another and issuing threats of court actions. Such actions do nothing, but harm the efforts at reconciliation.
“Like a good family, we must avoid open confrontation and allow the leadership of the party to effect genuine reconciliation. Conflict is not new to the PDP and, as in the past, I am confident that, in spite of the differences, the current one will be resolved, with the party coming out even stronger and more united than ever.
“To make preemptive statements while the process of reconciliation is still on is disrespectful not only to the President but also to the party leadership. Such statements undermine the party and the enormous efforts being made under the transformation agenda of the Mr. President.
“I therefore call on all members of our great party to exercise restraint throughout this trying period.”
