Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tony Anenih, is optimistic that the defection of five Governors and some chieftains of the party’s splinter group christened the ‘New PDP’ to the All Progressives Congress (APC) will turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
He has therefore, enjoined party members at all levels not to feel disturbed by the development. Anenih, who was reacting on Thursday to the development, also described the action of the Governors in particular as a sad one.
However, the BoT chairman expressed satisfaction that the party leadership, President Goodluck Jonathan, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida, former National Chairmen, Senators Barnabas Gemade and Ahmadu Ali as well as himself “invested enough energy, commitment, maturity and sincerity in the collective effort at reconciliation”.
He spoke further, “Indeed, I had expected the governors to stay on in the Party which has offered them a unique opportunity to serve their people.
“Surprisingly, they decided to abandon their home and platform to take up tenancy in an opposition party even when it was apparent that the effort of Mr. President for genuine reconciliation was enough for them to see good reason to show restraint and understanding.
“However, as adults, the final decision was and remains theirs. I would like to urge our party members and sympathizers not to be disturbed by the exit of some of our governors, but to continue to mobilise grassroots support for our party, Mr. President, and his Transformation Agenda.
“Our party is big and strong enough to rebound, as it has always done, in the face of such challenges”. He urged them to “rest assured that, on our part at the National level, we will strive relentlessly to continue to provide focused leadership as well as keep your hopes and aspirations alive especially at this time and in the months leading to the crucial 2015 general elections.”
