NATIONAL Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Ahmed Muazu, yesterday, apologized publicly to the five governors, lawmakers and other stakeholders who dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress, APC, saying the party was sorry over what happened.
Jonathan-wth-the-G5-governorsMuazu also pleaded with the G5 governors to return to PDP in the spirit of patriotism, against the backdrop that the party had helped them get to where they are. Muazu stressed that the doors were open for the former party members in the PDP.
He spoke when he received Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, who was at the National Secretariat on a solidarity visit.
Muazu noted that his leadership would continue to strengthen and deepen the nation’s democracy, adding that plans had been concluded to set up a very high powered reconciliation committee that would comprise major stakeholders and leaders to reach out to everyone especially those who defected.
Muazu specifically pleaded with Lamido to help reach out to his colleagues who left the party to create an enabling environment as the leadership planned to meet and beg them to come back.
According to him, the present National Working Committee, NWC, would look into everything that happened with a view to addressing the problems holistically, as his leadership would ensure that all injustices and wrongs done to the defectors and other aggrieved PDP members would be thoroughly looked into and reviewed.
In the wake of the problems in the party arising from irreconcilable differences, Governors Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto; Ahmed Abdulfatih of Kwara, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano, Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers and Murtala Nyako of Adamawa States left the PDP for APC.
But Muazu said, “Whatever be the case, I appeal to them (defectors) to let us correct it and move ahead. We will look at the various things that made our party to shrink in size. We are going to be bold to correct whatever injustice had been done.
“Please talk to the G-5 governors on our behalf before we go to them; appeal to their senses of patriotism; appeal to their senses of commitment to the PDP because PDP is Nigeria. Let us accept peace and move forward. I have seen the need to form a high level committee very soon to undertake genuine reconciliation in the party.
“I will like to appeal to you (Lamido) to be part of us, come with us to go and see all those who had been offended to tell them that we are sorry. Again, I appeal to all who had gone to come back home. We will deepen internal democracy so that if we succeed, anybody with our ticket will be sure of victory during elections.”
Earlier, Lamido who was accompanied by his deputy, the three Senators from his state, the 11 House of Representatives members, the National Vice Chairman, North West, Ibrahim Kazuare, among others, told Muazu that he had a very great task ahead of him, stressing that he was confused on whether to commiserate with him or congratulate him.
According to Lamido, what happened during the tenure of the immediate past National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur was very unfortunate as impunity became the order of the day, culminating in the defection of five governors, legislators and other notable stakeholders.