The National Reconciliation Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State on Tuesday, embarked on a post-convention reconciliation by visiting key stakeholders who gave positive reaction on the imperative of a united and strengthened party.
A candidate for the position of the National Chairman of PDP, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, urged the committee to reach out to all candidates many members of the party in his reconciliatory efforts.
A statement by Dickson’s Special Adviser (Media Relations), Fidelis Soriwei, quoted Adeniran as having made the comment while hosting the reconciliation committee members in Abuja.
He explained that it was important to also reach out to as many members of the PDP who did not contest for any position but fought gallantly to ensure the preservation of the party.
Adeniran said, “We should try to interact with various players; that I will suggest that we should not leave any stone unturned to reach out as much as possible. There are those of us who carried the flag, but there are some others who are key players in this party, who may not even contest for positions but they are no less concerned about this party.
“When you look back, you can see some of those key members of the concerned stakeholders who fought gallantly to ensure that indeed this party survived. So let the contacts, the consultations, be as all embracing as possible; it takes time, it takes energy but then what is worth doing is what is worth doing.”
According to him, Dickson assumed the position of the chief conciliator of PDP not just because he is a governor but because of his commitment to the party, his integrity and sense of fairness and justice.
He said that no genuine member of the PDP would doubt the eligibility of Dickson for his role as the head of the party’s team on reconciliation.
“You said something earlier on that may be, what prompted you to lead this team is because you are a governor. I believe far much more than that; there are certain qualities that majority of us have come to appreciate in you ,which you should keep up.
“I don’t see any genuine member of this party who will question your choice for this kind of role. It is not necessarily because you are a governor, it is because you are passionate about this party, it is because you have a sense of fairness, you also believe that things should be done properly, as you carry everybody along in what you are doing”, Adeniran stated.
Also, a former Minister of Information and Orientation, Prof Jerry Gana, who was visited by the committee, said he would “never leave the PDP for whatever reason.”
He however, said that he had serious observations that would make the party stronger.
The committee also visited a former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Ina Ciroma, who contested for the position of Deputy National Chairman (North) and a former Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu.
Mantu said Dickson’s selection for the position of the Chairman of the Reconciliation Committee was divine in view of his demonstrated commitment as chairman of the other committee on reconciliation.
He said that the party should focus on the 2019 elections, and strive hard to restore the party’s lost glory.
Mantu said that the PDP was still lucky that the current government had not performed better than the party, adding that the APC was not an alternative to the PDP.
