SAN FRANCISCO, September 09, (THEWILL) – There appears to be no end to the crisis within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as former President Olusegun Obasanjo and members of the Kawu Baraje faction, Sunday night, stayed away from the post-convention dinner of the party held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja .
The dinner, which started at about 8:29 pm when President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo arrived, was however attended by the Chairman Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Chief Tony Anenih; party chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha.
Others at the dinner included the governors of Abia, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Plateau, Delta, Cross River, Kogi, Plateau Katsina, Gombe, Enugu, Ebonyi, Kebbi, Akwa Ibom, acting governor of Taraba and deputy governor of Benue State, Dr. Stephen Lawani.
Others also included serving ministers, former governors, Chief Barnabas Gemade, Vincent Ogbulafor, Dr Ahmadu Ali, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former Speaker, Alhaji Ghali Na’aba, Senate Majority leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, Prof. Jerry Gana, and former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu
The Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, while welcoming members of the party to the dinner, noted that the PDP is the only party that hasn’t changed its name, saying the current challenges the party is facing are not unexpected.
“Our enemies are not happy because Jonathan has been performing. They control the state but we control the national sphere. Those not here are those on the wrong path and we urge them to turn the right way.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us irrespective of tribe or religion. Goodluck will take us to the promised land. All of us should join hands to support him. Already, 90 per cent of Nigerians are with Jonathan, Tukur and the PDP,” Gulak said.
Chairman of the last PDP convention committee, Prof. Gana, who lined up the convention organising committee members who later shook hands with the president and vice president, in his remark, noted that the party was going through unnecessarily difficult times not because it deserves it, but because there are conflicting interests.
He noted that while reconciliation is necessary, no one is indispensable as the party can move forward even with the myriads of problems it is facing. “PDP stands for what is good. We must stand as one and trust each other,” he said.
Former Governor of Adamawa State, Mr. Boni Haruna, who spoke on behalf of ex-PDP governors, re-affirmed their support for the president, the chairman and the party just as the woman leader Lagos State, Mrs. Shola Benson, also gave kudos to the president on behalf of the PDP women leaders.
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