The last dissenting voice over the choice of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a group of former Ministers under the erstwhile ruling party has been asked to sheathe its sword and abide by the decision of the PDP Governors’ Forum (PGF) and the Deputy Senate President to support the new Chairman.
The intervention of these major stakeholders has succeeded in getting the Board of Trustees (BOT) and the National Assembly caucus of PDP who had earlier disagreed on the new Chairman, to accept the choice of Sheriff. But the Forum of Former PDP Ministers (FFPM) is bent on having Sheriff to step down.
But a group of concerned PDP Youths under the Democratic Young Patriots (DYP), has however advised the former ministers to sheath their swords, “reason with the party’s leadership, apply wisdom and unite behind the new National Chairman to rebuild the party.”
In a statement signed by DYP National Coordinator, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, the group said: “we wish to commend the maturity and wisdom with which the Governors’ Forum led by Dr. Segun Mimiko and the National Assembly caucus led by Senator Ike Ekweremadu have been able to handle the impasse.
“This is another milestone for the PDP because some naysayers had predicted doom for the party, thinking there will be no middle ground to resolve this problem. But the PDP has shown once more that it is not a party of individuals but an association of all Nigerians and the only truly national party.
“We therefore wish to advise the FFPM to hearken to the admonition of Gov. Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and other notable leaders of the party and join hand with Ali Modu Sheriff to rebuild the PDP and take it into the forthcoming convention as a purposeful party that will chart a new course for Nigeria.
“After now, we wish to implore the ex-Ministers to do more than sideline comments or knee jerk intervention to protect an interest only. We want you to contribute your meaningful quota to the advancement of the party as stakeholders who have benefited from the PDP.
“We can only build a virile PDP by giving back to the party in cash, in kind, in wisdom and through selfless contributions. The party should not only be a purpose vehicle for getting appointments, making money or advancing interests, it should be a party for nation-building. We must give back to the PDP.
“While we await a new timetable that will usher in a new era for the PDP, we wish to urge our members who are thinking of leaving or dividing the party to form another to know that conflict is synonymous with every human associations and groups, and there is no perfect political party.”
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