The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar yesterday expressed optimism that the crisis plaguing the party would be resolved long before the general election.
Earlier same day, the former Vice President, who spoke at an Abuja Businessmen Breakfast meeting, said his plan to restructure the country did not necessarily imply resource control, but adding responsibilities that would motivate development in the country.
On the same day, former President Goodluck Jonathan openly declared that the five PDP governors currently involved in the crisis in the party were not working for his cause.
Atiku, who spoke on the crisis rocking his party after paying a courtesy call on former military president, Ibrahim Babangida at his Minna hill-top residence in Minna, Niger State, said all parties in the dispute were open to a quick resolution of the crisis.
Members of the PDP G5 Governors, led by Nyesom Wike have been at loggerheads with Atiku, after Wike failed to win the party’s presidential ticket.
They are also unhappy that Atiku rejected Wike as running mate and are demanding for the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu as party Chairman, allegedly to reduce dominance of the PDP by the North.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State are the other members of the PDP G5.
The former vice president said he would continue to engage the G5 Governors in dialogue that will lead to the resolution of the crisis, describing the dispute as “a family affair”.
“We are going to resolve it (the crisis) before the election and you will see a very very united and strong PDP before the election,” declared Atiku.
Atiku said his visit to Babangida was to pay their respect to the former Nigerian leader for his sacrifices to the country.
“We consider him as the father of the country; he nursed the current democracy in Nigeria, so we are here to commend him for his efforts. We will continue to come and pay our respect to them and remind them of their contributions to the nation.”
Atiku and his entourage arrived at the uphill residence of General Babangida at about 12.35pm and went into a closed-door meeting which lasted about one hour.
Among those on Atiku’s entourage were the Vice-Presidential candidate, Dr. Ifeayin Okowa; the Director General of the Presidential Campaign Council and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; National Vice Chairman (North) Alhaji Ilya Umar Damagun; former minister of defence, Lt General Aliyu Gusau; former Niger State governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu; former deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
