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…Atiku, Wabara appeal for calm .
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..Elumelu blames crisis on devil
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
Reprieve came the way of the embattled National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, yesterday, as members of the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party passed a vote of confidence on him and others.
The vote of confidence was sequel to a motion moved by the Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu and seconded by a chieftain of the party from Kwara State, Mr. Ishola Balogun Fulani.
Some Governors and chieftains of the party from the southern part of the country, it will be recalled, had been pushing for the resignation of Ayu as the National Chairman of the PDP, arguing that since the party’s presidential candidate has come from the North, the South should automatically produce the party’s National Chairmanship.
The motion for the vote of confidence was passed on Ayu and other members of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party.
The vote of confidence was unanimous as there was no dissenting voice when the motion was put to vote by former Senate President and acting Chairman, Board of Trustees , BoT, of the party, Senator Aldophus Wabara.
The outcome of Thursday’s meeting of NEC, which is the high decision taking body of the party, has thus proved bookmakers who had predicted possible sack of Ayu, wrong.
Speaking at meeting, the presidential candidate of the PDP and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar appealed to all members of the party to make sure that all disagreements are resolved internally.
He thanked all members of NEC for their wonderful support during the last convention where emerged as the candidate of our party.
According to Atiku, “I cannot thank you enough, my promise is that I will meet your expectations and the expectations of Nigerians.
“Let me also use this opportunity to thank our out going BoT Chairman for his services and sense of patriotism for our great party.
“Many speakers have alluded to family disagreement, family disagreements are normal even in normal families as well as political families.
“But what I can assure you is that we are determined to resolve those issues internally.
“There are not really fundamental disagreements, it is Normal.
“Today, PDP is the oldest political party in Nigeria from the past republic till today. No political party has existed as long as the PDP.
“As a political party we have our constitution, our rules and our regulations.
“I want to urge that no matter the level of disagreement, it should be resolved within our constitution, within our rules, within our regulations.
“We have all what it takes to guide us to continue to nurture this political party, to provide a platform for all Nigerians to realize their collective and individual aspirations.
“Therefore I wish to appeal to all members of our party to make sure that all our disagreements are resolved internally.
Also speaking, Hon. Elumelu commended the National Chairman and his NWC, saying, “You have shown maturity. Nigerians are suffering today and PDP is the only solution and that is why it is important for the PDP to unite.”
He added, “We must learn to forgive one another. All of us cannot be chairman, presidential candidate. But together we can lead. If only we can be patient, we can lead.
“National cake of Aso Villa is too much for all Nigerians. And this cake means creating the necessary infrastructure for Nigerians, not making fake promises like APC.
“A lot has gone wrong. Let’s us put behind the anger and move forward. It is the devil that is trying to stop us from winning because they know, in the spiritual realm, we have won.
“We can never be distracted. We must talk to our people to collect their PVCs”, he said.
The National Chairman of the PDP, Dr Ayu pointed out that the party is united regardless of the challenges they are currently facing and that they will come out stronger to win the 2023 general election
Saying that it is in the PDPs character to rise from any internal strife, Ayu added, “Nigerians are interested in the PDP because they know we have the capacity to deliver.
“I hope Nigerians give the PDP the mandate to fix the economy, education and insecurity”, he said.
Ayu said as they journey to the campaigns and hopefully to Aso Villa, they must remain united for victory.
Also speaking at the meeting, Senator Wabara said, “The PDP has an inbuilt mechanism to solve problems. We have done it several times. When people expect us to implode, that is when we become very glorious.
“We should watch and control our utterances because by and large, only God knows tomorrow. Because once you voice out something, it is always difficult for you to pick back what you voice out.
“My advice to use is that we should be mature enough to control our temper”, he advised.
Among those at the meeting were Governors of Sokoto, Taraba, Bayelsa and Bauchi. The deputy governors of Adamawa and Benue were also in attendance.
The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseiki however sent his apology.
Others Governors were however absen
