Urge PDP aspirants to watch utterances
By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
Key stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the nineteen Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have appealed to all presidential aspirants of the party to be more temperate in their utterances and work to promote harmony and better understanding within the party.
The PDP stakeholders made the appeal in a communique issued at the end of their crucial meeting in Abuja yesterday.
The advice is coming on the heels of the controversy generated by adoption of former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed as the preferred candidates of the PDP in the North by some elders in the region.
The well attended meeting of the stakeholders maintained that all the PDP aspirants are qualified to occupy the Nigerian Presidency under the party’s banner.
The Northern PDP stakeholders assured that they will continue to support, promote and campaign for the party with a view to wining the presidency by the candidate produced by party’s National convention scheduled for May 28th-29th, this year.
They explained that their ultimate objective is to build a National Consensus that will produce a National Candidate for the Party.
The stakeholders, in the communique,
signed by former Governor of Jigawa State, Malam Sule Lamido and erstwhile Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Marina Waziri, said, “We would like to state from the onset that there is nothing called the Northern PDP.
“Our coming together as key stakeholders from the Northern States is only for the purpose of debunking any notion or impression which might have been created by Prof Ango Abdullahi media statement about the Northern Elders Forum having shortlisted consensus PDP presidential Candidates.
“The People’s Democratic Party, as conceived by its founding fathers, is and remains the foremost National Political platform wherein the Democratic aspirations of its teeming members can be actualized devoid of any sectional consideration.
“Our party is neither Northern nor Southern but Nigeria.
“We are happy to note that The Northern Elders Forum has, through its Secretary Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, disassociated itself from Prof Ango’s media statement. They made it clear that it is Ango’s personal opinion.
“The Aspirants have informed us that they are discussing among themselves. They are consulting other senior citizens in order to create a better understanding and unity among themselves.
“Their ultimate objective is to build a National Consensus that will produce a National Candidate for the Party.
“We urge them to keep up with this commendable effort.Our meeting today is to reinforce on the press release issued on 23/4/22 by Gov. Sule Lamido.
“We maintain that all our Aspirants are qualified to occupy the Nigerian Presidency under the PDP banner and we shall continue to support, promote and campaign and win the Presidency by the candidate produced by our National convention scheduled for May 28th-29th 2022.
“We appeal to all Aspirants to be more temperate in their utterances and work to promote harmony and better understanding within the PDP Family.
“We also want to assure all PDP members and indeed all Nigerians that we are aware of your pains, prayers, expectations and HOPE to be RESCUED.
“Your abiding faith in PDP shall set us free in 2023”, they said .
Among those in attendance at the meeting, apart from Lamido and Waziri, were; former Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Babangida Aliyu, Senator Dino Melaye, former Governor of Adamawa State, Mr Boni Haruna and former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris.
