With less than 35 days to the presidential elections holding February 25, 2023, the crisis facing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears far from abating, with its National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, saying under his watch, no individual or group can control the party.
He said as things stand today, the PDP is now being controlled by the ordinary people, adding that it’s a sign that it would remain the only party after the general elections.
But the G-5 governors are insisting the methodology adopted by the major opposition party towards reconciling the warring groups within its fold won’t in anyway pacify them.
Ayu
Speaking Thursday during the PDP presidential rally at Mapo Hall, Ibadan, Oyo state capital, Ayu declared: “In the last one year, the National Working Committee of our leadership has worked tirelessly to make sure that the party returns to the people. No single person or group of people can control this party as long as we do what the people want.
“We are the most strengthened today that the party is truly controlled by the ordinary people. Those who are not sure are now sure that this is the party that will survive after the election. There will be no APC in Nigeria. It will disappear from the surface of Nigeria’s air and go back to the small parties they were.”
The national chairman who lauded Governor Makinde’s role in the party, said: “Seyi Makinde is a strong PDP member. He is a member of the family and in the family sometimes, you have disagreements, and sometimes you will have people who are not happy.
“I, as a father of all PDP in Nigeria, I am calling on all our aggrieved members to come back home.”
It was however gathered that Governor Makinde, his deputy, Adebayo Lawal, members of his cabinet and PDP Deputy National Chairman (South) Taofeeq Arapaja, who mobilised party loyalists for the well-attended rally, were not in attendance.
Speaking further, the party’s national chairman expressed optimism that its candidates would sweep the elections at all levels.
“We are going to win, we will win in all elections in the forthcoming general elections. We are going back to the Villa. We are back for you, we are back to improve the wellbeing of Nigerians,” Ayu said.
Atiku, Okowa speak
Addressing the gathering, the party’s standard bearer promised to restructure Nigeria and give autonomy to both states and local governments if elected president.
While describing the APC-led government as a failure, he said his administration would commit to the age-long agitation of the South West on restructuring.
“APC has failed Nigerians in every sector. We don’t need them, we need to rescue this country from the party. Nigerians should vote them out in the next elections,” he said.
“The current government at the federal level has failed to restructure the country, despite promising to effect change and ensure the restructuring of the country. Our administration would implement what the current government has failed to do.
“I will restructure Nigeria. Restructuring of the country will be achieved during my time. By restructuring, we mean giving more powers and autonomy to the states and local government areas. It will be one of the pillars of my government. They have failed to implement it. Vote them out. Vote them out completely,” the PDP standard bearer further said.
Also speaking at the Olubadan Palace, the ex-VP gave an assurance that the royal fathers would be given a role in his administration especially, at this crucial time of the nation’s security challenges.
He said: “I remember role of the traditional institution during the colonial era when they were responsible for maintaining law and order in their respective domains, PDP government will look into all these institutions to bring about safer and more united Nigeria.
“We shall implement the restructuring of the country, we shall dialogue with various constituents of the country so that we can give them full autonomy and resources so that we can witness more inclusive development in the nation’s economy.
“These are some of the policies we intend to deploy when we emerge; we intend to open up the economy so that Nigerians can have jobs in all sectors of the economy.”
He lauded the state governor and other top party chieftains for ensuring a hitch-free and well-attended rally.
Also speaking, Atiku’s running mate and governor of Delta state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, regretted that bandits had taken over the country.
“This is not the Nigeria of our dream. That is not what Nigeria’s PDP left in 2015. APC has destroyed this nation. But there is hope for tomorrow and that hope lies in you by voting for PDP back to power,” he said.
Olubadan
Receiving the campaign team, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, urged the former VP to reconcile with Makinde and other G-5 Governors.
This, he said, was necessary if the PDP candidate is to make a headway in next month’s presidential election.
Speaking through the Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, Chief Tajudeen Ajibola, the royal father who received the team at his Alarere residence, urged the party’s presidential candidate to ensure genuine reconciliation among all warring tendencies within the party.
Balogun, who described Atiku as his friend, expressed dissatisfaction with the recent happening in the party, saying Atiku should do something fast as soon as possible to unite the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The G-5 Governors have consistently remained at war with the PDP hierarchy over the continued stay in office of the party’s national chairman whom they insisted must quit office.
Apart from Makinde and Wike, other governors in the group are Samuel Otom of Benue state, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state.
The royal father also said if elected, Atiku should factor the traditional rulers into government’s efforts at tackling the lingering security challenge just as he craved for the creation of Ibadan state.
Attendees
On the campaign train were Prince Uche Secondus, Director General of the Campaign and Sokoto state Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Balyesa state Governor Douye Diri, former Kogi state Governor Idris Wada and former Osun state Governor Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as well as the presidential candidate’s wife, Mrs. Titi Abubakar Atiku.
The rest included Senator Dino Melaye, former Vice President Architect Nnamadi Sambo, former Jigawa state Governor Sule Lamido, Minority Leader House of Representatives Hon Indidi Elumelu, Senator Abdul Ningi, former Adamawa state Governor Bonie Haruna, former Cross River state Governor Lyel Imoke, former Speaker, House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, Senator Philip Aduda, former FCT Minister Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, former Minister of Mines and Steel Development Wole Oyelese.
I won’t descend to level of personal attacks – Atiku
In a related development, Alhaji Atiku said he not descend to the level of personal attacks and lies being peddled by his opponents in his bid to woo voters.
In a personally signed statement from his Media Office Thursday in Abuja, he said: “I have since resolved not to descend to the low level of personal attacks and lies being peddled by my opponents. Nor will I join issues with those who, in an attempt to cover their character deficiencies, resort to mudslinging and gutter language, in a desperate attempt to disparage their fellow contestants.
“I’d rather take the high road of dignity and statesmanship to continue to advance our manifesto, as we continue to inform the Nigerian people of how the Atiku-Okowa government intends to stop the slip into the abyss by a country that is so blessed with human and natural resources.
“I will remind them about our past success when I served Nigeria meritoriously as the Vice President in the government that has been adjudged as the best so far since our return to democracy in 1999.”
The PDP candidate said he would rather share his dreams and achievable development plans as well as the kind of Nigeria an Atiku-Okowa administration was prepared to bequeath if elected into office.
“We shall assemble a team of some of the brightest and best Nigerians that abound within the country and in the Diaspora to assist in rebuilding our country. This is my commitment and my contract with the Nigerian people.
“To this end, my priorities shall include but not limited to unifying the nation to give every citizen that is a Nigerian, every state and every gender, religion and ethnicity a sense of justice, inclusion, equity and trust.
“We shall not only ensure that all Nigerians are treated equally, but that they feel safe and secure as opposed to the regime of pervasive insecurity that has gripped the entire country for too long.
“We shall also be preoccupied with resetting Nigeria’s battered economy, especially finding sustainable solutions to the recurring issues of debt management, deficits, subsidies and the flagging value of the Naira.
“The boosting of crude oil production, stoppage of oil theft and ramping up of non-oil exports to improve earnings are also top on my priorities.
“The reset of our education, to drive our development agenda, and the restructuring of our socio-economic and political structures will be defining efforts of my administration.
“In addition, Diaspora remittances will be given serious attention, particularly now that it has exceeded Nigeria’s earnings from crude oil to shore up our much-needed foreign exchange needs,” he said.
Ortom on PDP approach
And amidst all of this, Governor Ortom has said the PDP leadership should stop being arrogant and reconcile with the aggrieved G5 governors.
He also said the party hierarchy should be held liable if the efforts at achieving truce fail.
Speaking to journalists Thursday, he said: “So, no efforts by the leadership of our party have been able to address the issues that we are raising. They have not been able to adopt methods that will pacify and placate the G5. This is not right. So, on the G5, that is where we are.“Arrogance, impunity, mischief, will not really help matters. One will expect that humility, it is said that you stoop down to conquer even if you want to make it.”
“There are many ways if you have proactive leadership, a leadership that is humble. But when you treat people like they call us that ‘they are children’. I mean, a man of 62, how is he a child? A man at 50, how is he a child? But none of us are less than 40 years. We are leaders in our own right. Our people elected us. You can’t just sit in Abuja and make this kind of a thing.
“We are committed to issues of integrity, issues of fairness, equity, and justice.
“I think we are on course as far as I’m concerned with our group (G5). As faithful party men, we have given enough time. And we are told that the failed leadership at the national level will take advantage of the opportunity we have given them to address those issues.
“There are many ways of addressing issues even when you are not able to meet the demands of a group or individuals. But when people decide to be arrogant, and mischievous and do things as if the other person does not exist and try to do some things with impunity, as if they have won the election, and they don’t need any other person, it becomes a problem,” he said.
