PDP BoT: We Don’t Need More Bad Blood in Our Party

*Sues for calm, cautions members 

*Atiku remains best presidential candidate, says Onuesoke 

Chuks Okocha in Abuja, John Shiklam in Kaduna, Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano, Sylvester Idowu in Warri

Ahead of the tomorrow’s planned reconciliatory meeting between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), has called for calm and understanding of all members, saying there was no need for further bad blood in the party.

The meeting was earlier scheduled for Monday, but shifted to Friday, because leader of the camp of the PDP presidential candidate and Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, had hosted Atiku in Yola, where they received many defectors from other political parties.
Also, a Chieftain of the PDP and former Delta State gubernatorial aspirant, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has said Atiku remained the best among other candidates in the presidential race.

However, in a statement by the PDP BoT chairman, Senator Walid Jubril, the conscience of the party said all efforts were geared towards the reconciliations of Atiku and Wike.
He said there was actually no crisis in the party but a misunderstanding between two chieftains, which was gradually being resolved, cautioning that there was no need to create further bad blood among members.
“I wish to call on all members of the PDP and all Nigerians to remain calm; never create bad blood and confusion on the state of our party,” he said, noting that all efforts were on ground to ensure  reconciliation between Wike, the party and Atiku.

According to Jubrin, “What is happening now should never be categorise as a problem but misunderstanding within the party. At this period leading to the 2023 elections, we should concentrate on how to win all positions to be contested and seriously adhere to the provision of the party constitution.
“My strong advice is for us to give strong support to the present reconciliation committee set up to resolve all issues. Thereafter BoT, the highest advisory organ of the party, will give more encouragement leading to greater success of PDP.”

His advice notwithstanding, indications still showed that the Wike’s supporters were still insisting that Ayu must go, explaining that he was not a man of integrity, having said on national television that he would resign once a presidential candidate from the north emerged chairman of the party.
According to a source close to Wike, “What shall we be campaigning for in the south. There is no equity in the whole affair and Ayu has not presented himself as an unbiased national chairman.

“We are expecting Atiku’s camp to the meeting, we will hear them out and then decide. But our position still remains that the national chairman should go. But let’s hear them out first,” the source said.
Fintiri will lead Atiku’ s team, while a former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, will lead those from Wike’s camp.
It is not clear, however, whether the meeting would still take place in Port Harcourt or moved to Abuja.

Meanwhile, Onuesoke who spoke about Atiku’s superiority to other presidential candidates at a media briefing in Asaba, Delta State, said Atiku has the prerequisite experience, contacts, both international and across the country and had impacted many lives through his many philanthropic works.
He contended that, Atiku understood how to bring deliberate steps and actions to create big ripple effects that could impact on the economy and make life far more abundant for the people.

He recalled that Atiku oversaw the telecoms revolution, which gave rise to flourishing career among the youths, adding that his tenure as vice-president under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, witnessed a large repatriation of Nigerians back to Nigeria, driven by the hope of the recovering economy.
As for provision of employment, the PDP Chieftain disclosed that Atiku had taken many unemployed youths out of the streets, stressing that in his home state of Adamawa, he created over 50,000 direct jobs and 250,000 indirect ones.

“As Vice President, Atiku  assembled what is arguably the best Economic Team ever in Nigeria. It was made up of young, world class professionals, who came home to work. Some of those professionals are now political leaders, governors and world leaders in their own right.
“Atiku had a proven record of bringing young, unknown professionals into service. Many of the professionals and ministers brought in by Atiku were in their 30s and early 40s. Some of those young leaders have become governors in their states,” Onuesoke stated.