—It’s not true – Metuh
By Samuel Ogidan
Abuja
The clash of interest between the governors under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party played out yesterday, as the governors shunned the inauguration of Post-Election Assessment Committee setup by the party to review and evaluate its performance in the just concluded 2015 general elections and make recommendations for the repositioning of the party.
But reacting, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh said the governors did not boycott the inauguration.
Explaining their absence, Metuh said the governors were not at the inauguration because they were not aware that it would still take place, as the National Chairman of the party, Adamu Mu’azu travelled out of the country.
He said: “The National Chairman travelled out of the country and the governors were not aware that the meeting will still take place today.
They thought because the Chairman would not be around the inauguration would be postponed. They did not boycott the meeting, but thought that it would not hold today because the National Chairman travelled out of the country.
The governors, who are part of the Post-Election Assessment Committee headed by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu are, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom state, Theodore Orji of Abia state and Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe state.
Inaugurating the committee, the National Secretary, Prof. Wole Oladipo, who represented, Mu’azu said members of the committee were selected because of their patriotism and commitment to the party’s development.
He said the loss of the party at the March 28, presidential election was a good commentary on the PDP`s democratic credentials, adding that in spite of the observed lapses at the just concluded elections, the fact that President Goodluck Jonathan congratulated his opponent even before the election result was released was unprecedented.
His action, he said, ensured the peace that Nigerians were presently enjoying.
Oladipo said that President Goodluck Jonathan had warned that unwarranted attacks and counter-attacks on members and leadership of the party should stop immediately.
He said: “Let me use this opportunity to relay President Jonathan’s message to all PDP leaders and members.
He has given definite instruction that all acts of unwarranted attacks and counter-attacks on members and leadership of the party should stop immediately.”
The terms of reference of the committee mandated to submit its report in three weeks time, according to Prof. Oladipo is to “identify the remote and immediate causes of the relatively poor performance of the PDP in the 2015 general elections.”