As PDP Mends Fences In South South

The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last Sunday took its on-going peace initiative to the South-South geo-political zone of the country with a view to reclaiming the popularity of the party and retain its stronghold in the zone.

The party started the efforts to unite all party members last two weeks when it visited the South- West.

The reconciliation process was to heal the wounds among its members who may have been embittered with developments in the party.

The party has been polarised even as those elected on its platform  fight over the control of its structures ahead of the 2015 elections.

Many party members said the reconciliation committee was mandated not only to reconcile,but to bring peace among the aggrieved governors of the party,  the Presidency and the party leadership.

The National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur alluded to this when he said the essence of the reconciliation was to have a united party and continue with the winning streak in the 2015 elections.

Analysts of political developments in the country have, however, observed that the PDP was known for frequent reconcilation processes of its members only when  elections were approaching.

It would be recalled that in 2003,the party embarked on the same mission to reconcile the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar with his boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

The process went a long way to heal the wounds of different camps and also brought about the joint ticket of Obasanjo and Atiku for the second term.

Also in 2007 and 2011, another reconciliation process took place when the PDP leadership realised that the party members were moving away and decamping to form an alliance with other political parties”.

Some of these alliances succeeded in their missions then.  Senator Uche Chukwumeji of Abia State left the PDP for Peoples Progressives Alliance (PPA) on whose platform he contested and won election into the National Assembly. The Governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji also won  election on  the same platform .Other persons like Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State and former Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim also left PDP at that time.

Those who won on other parties tickets came back to PDP during the same process of re conciliation in the party.

The PDP’s on-going peace move has, however,  been linked to the internal crisis within the party and the fusion of the opposition mega  parties to fight PDP.

Governor Chibuike Ameachi, while welcoming the  national leadership of the party to Port Harcourt last Sunday said the process would help rebuild the party.

Amaechi said what would guarantee unity among members and also retain its winning streak was to work in such a way that would make the party popular in the wards,local governments,states and the country.

According to him,in Rivers State,there was one PDP and no division in the party.

“The only way to retain the people’s mandate was to embark on  people- oriented programmes”, he added.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduagha called on the party in the region to go beyond provision  of infrastructural facilities and pay more attention  to human  capital development.

According to him, the  party should ensure that more was done for the people  in terms of financial   empowerment other than just providing, social infrastructure.

He called on the governors of the zone to ensure that the PDP   retain its  stronghold in the South South.

He said, “there is no doubt that if the PDP is strong here in South South and not strong in other parts of the country, there will be a problem. So I want to join others in urging you that  whatever problems, either at the state, zonal, or national levels, let us resolve them quickly so that we can move forward as a party.

“Mr. chairman, there is also an issue I want to raise; I know  I am a Governor, but it also concerns me and others who hold positions in the  party. I was with my  predecessor one day when an elder came. I was telling my predecessor that if you tarred all the roads and air conditioned all the environments and the stomachs of the people and members of the party were empty, they would not appreciate what you have done. So, I want to join them to tell us to ensure that their stomachs are filled so that they will  appreciate what we  have done”.

In response to Uduagha’s speech,  the Governor of Akwa Ibom  State and the chairman  of PDP Governors Forum, Chief Godswill Akpabio offered  N6 million to the six state chapters  in the zone for entertainment.

“Well, my brother Governor Uduagha said you are hungry, so, I will give the state chairmen from the six states N1 million per state for Mr. Biggs  right now”, he said.

He also called on the leadership of the party at the centre to intensify efforts on the reconciliation of all the aggrieved party members.

Meanwhile, the election of Chief Tony Anenih as the Chairman Board of Trustess (BoT) has been described as another factor that would strenghten the party and defeat other political parties in the coming elections.

A chieftain of the PDP in the state, Prince Tonye Princewill  commended the party for getting it right for once.

He said the election of Anenih would definitely benefit the party and strengthen it given his experience  in party management.

Observers have, however, said that the PDP’s South South peace meeting in Port Harcourt came short of any success following the absence of some governors of the zone.

The PDP has five  out of the six governors in the zone,but only three were present at the meeting.

Those present were the host,Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State,Emmanuel Uduangha of Delta State and Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State. The governors of Bayelsa  and Cross River States were absent and did not send representatives.