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PDP Working On Reconciling ‘Offended’ Members, Says Dep Director PCC

The party has been troubled by infighting between Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, and the suspended chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, over the zoning of the party's leadership to the southern part of Nigeria.


Dimeji fabiyi
A PDP chieftain Dimeji Fabiyi during his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, May 15, 2023. 

 

The Deputy Director of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dimeji Fabiyi has indicated that the new leadership of the party has plans to unite aggrieved members.

The party has been troubled by infighting between Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, and the suspended chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, over the zoning of the party’s leadership to the southern part of Nigeria.

Wike dissatisfied with Ayu not giving in to his clamour,  withdrew his support for the party’s flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar.

But when asked during Channels Television’s LunchTime Politics on Monday if the party’s structure has been weakened by the tension, Fabiyi dismissed the claims. He is insisting that the PDP has not gone silent but is taking closed-door action, adding that the vision is clear for what the party has to offer to the nation.

“The PDP has not been quiet. We may not be speaking but we are acting. The PDP is the oldest party in the country and is very experienced when it comes to national leadership.

“The new leadership is working on reconciliation, bringing back people that have either felt offended,” he said.

The PCC director is also confident of the party’s chances of winning the off-season governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states later in the year.

“We are not known for noise making based on our experience,” he argued. “We are an active party based on our long time in politics. We have elections in the next couple of months where we have presented formidable candidates.”

A Bright Future

Vice-presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa, PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, and Governor Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) at a meeting of Atiku and PDP governors on Thursday, May 11, 2023. Credit: Twitter/@atiku

 

While the presidential election has been held with the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Bola Tinubu winning the exercise,  Atiku who flew the PDP’s flag and other contestants are in court challenging the outcome of the exercise.

When queried about Atiku’s fate if the outcome of the tribunal goes against his principal, Fabiyi maintained that the former vice president’s political future is bright.

“Atiku is a true democrat,” he said, adding that he is a man that politics runs in his blood.

“When it comes to nation-building, Atiku has always been on the giving end in this country. He is not going to go anywhere. As long as he is still alive, he will still contribute; he has been contributing.

“He did that when he was not even in PDP; he contributed. When Boko-haram was right in the North-East, he contributed physically, and monetarily. The political future for him is bright, even if he does not run again,” he said.

His comment comes days after Atiku asked the party’s leadership to develop new strategies to help the PDP retake its dominant place in the country’s politics.