From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) National chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, yesterday, confirmed that the party’s National Working Committee ( NWC) will meet with Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and other aggrieved members of the party. Ayu, according to a statement by his Special Adviser, on Media and Communications, Simon Imobo-Tswam, stated this when he led members of the NWC on a visit to acting chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees ( BoT), Senator Adolphus Wabara.. The national chairman was quoted to have said that because of other preplanned engagement, the Deputy National Chairman ( North) Iliya Damagun, would lead other NWC members to Port Harcourt, next week to meet with Wike.
According to him, “I want to also reveal to you that the NWC under the leadership of the Deputy National Chairman, Amb. Iliya Damagun, will be going to see not only Gov. Wike but every other person who is aggrieved. It is the unanimous decision of the NWC and we think that your leading the fight for peace and full reconciliation in the party will be helpful.
“There is a time for anger and there’s a time for the anger to stop. So help us to reach out to all aggrieved members. Try and heal the party with your new role as the party Chairman of the BoT.” A top party source told Saturday Sun that the Port Harcourt trip by the NWC members would likely be on Monday or Tuesday, barring any last minute change.
Ayu, the statement noted also thanked Wabara for the Vote of Confidence passed in the party’s leadership by both the BoT and the National Executive Council (NEC), on Thursday.
His words: “The confidence reposed in the NWC is an encouragement that the party should unite and be one strong family. To read the outcome of yesterday’s meeting as one group being victorious over another will be erroneous. We are all winners.
“My understanding is that the party wants unity. Thankfully you can play the role of a unifier even better with your immense preparation as a diplomat, former Member House Of Representatives, former senator and ex-Senate President who had worked with this party for a long period of time.
You have the full support of myself, the candidate and the whole NWC to reach out to Governor Wike, all the governors and any person who is aggrieved, and appeal to them, plead with them to come back and let’s work together in the PDP family.
“If we do not win next year’s general election, Nigerians will be very, very disappointed. The hope of Nigeria is on us.
“We implore you to use your diplomatic skills to reach out to all aggrieved members and I am telling you that it is with our full support, including that of the Presidential candidate and Vice-Presidential Candidate who called me 30 minutes before we got here.”