…says reconciliation a long distance race
…Accuses APC of orchestrating violence
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has announced that all is set for its scheduled Presidential Campaign Rally in Benin City, the Edo State Capital on Saturday, October 22, 2022.
National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, made the announcement at a press conference, in Abuja, on Friday.
He said, “The people of Edo State are very excited and ready to receive our Presidential Candidate, the peoples candidate, H.E Atiku Abubakar GCON and his running mate, the governor of Delta State, H.E Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa CON.
“Of course, you know that Edo State is home to the PDP and we are ready for a sweeping victory in the 2023 general elections.
“Ahead of the rally, our Party has been receiving flurry of solidarity message from various groups, especially the youths in their massive solidarity towards the PDP’s mission to Rescue, Rebuild and Redirect our nation from the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The PDP has been recording very successful Presidential Rallies since the Flag-Off in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. On Monday, October 17, 2022, our Presidential Campaign Rally in Kaduna State was greeted by a massive crowd, which of course, rattled the APC.“
He accused the ruling APC of desperation which he said was responsible for the party’s resort to violence.
According to him, this was became manifest in the attack on PDP members by suspected APC thugs in Kaduna as a result of the decision of “millions of APC members“ who ditched the party to join the PDP.
Ologunagba urged security agencies especially the Nigeria Police to rise to the occasion by ensuring sponsors and perpetrators of violence are brought to book to serve as deterrent to others.
He said the PDP on its part, would adhere to the terms of the peace accord signed with other party by ensuring that its campaigns are issued based and devoid of violence.
The PDP enjoined other parties to follow suit.
In response to a question as to whether the PDP would suspend its campaign in line with a call by the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, he said, Obi’s call stems from his poor grasp of issues of governance.
Ologunagba said the government the PDP was prepared to form, was one that remains committed to multi-tasking noting that, “you don’t shutdown government because there is a flood, you take steps to solve the problem.”
The PDP spokesperson spoke barely 48 hours after a faction of the Edo State Chapter of the party issued a statement alleging that the visit of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar to the state was being shrouded in secrecy.
The statement was signed by State Deputy chairman, Harrison Omagbon, and Secretary, Hillary Otsu, as well as PDP chairmen in the 18 Local Government Areas and 11 members of its State Working Committee.
It reads “Our attention has been drawn to a Vanguard Newspaper publication of 17th October, 2022, on pages 14 and 16.
“We, the undersigned members of the State working Committee and Local Government chapter chairmen hereby wish to inform all Edo PDP members and supporters that:
“We reject the Edo State Campaign Council list as published in the Vanguard Newspaper. The constitution of the purported campaign council list was never discussed by any of the Party organs in the state before the publication”.
It went on to state, that ”the proposed visit of the Party Presidential candidate is shrouded in secrecy in Edo Government circles.
“We urge all party members in the state to disregard the said publication and intensify all efforts in grassroots mobilization, to ensure victory for our Candidates in the forthcoming elections”.
However, Ologunagba in response to a question about efforts being made by the party to reconcile aggrieved members especially those aligned to Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, explained that the party remains hopeful that outstanding issues will be resolved amicably.
Ologunagba said, “Reconciliation isn’t a 100 meter race, it is an ongoing thing and 24hrs in politics is a lifetime, it is work in progress. Reconciliation is ongoing.
“There are multiple channels of communication in our constitution. So it is ongoing. We’re very hopeful, because we have a robust internal differences resolution mechanism.
“We can’t give up on hope because this party is People’s Democratic Party, not an individual party. so we don’t give commands we don’t give instructions. We negotiate, we discuss that’s ongoing.
“As a party we’re very confident that governor Wike and other governors or anybody, other members of our party, who have issues are reconcile.
“Of course, what is important and I think that you have to emphasize that irrespective of whether divide have right now, or misunderstanding or differences, were all related to one point and that’s critical.
“That is need and the urgency is now that is needed is for us to rescue our country, from the rudderless APC.”
The PDP equally expressed delight that a Federal High Court agreed with its counsels that the “contraption” which the APC referred to as its National Working Committee which was then headed by Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, was as illegal as such, activities carried out under its supervision were a nullity.
Vanguard