VP slot: Atiku moves to douse tension, vows to unite PDP

Atiku and Wike

AMID growing tension in  the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the presidential candidate of the party,  Atiku Abubakar, has expressed confidence that the party would remain focused and united ahead of the 2023 general elections.

In a series of tweets on his verified twitter handle @Atiku, yesterday, he explained that his desire to unify the nation would begin from the party, noting that he would continue to be not only a listening leader but also one that takes appropriate actions towards achieving set goals.   

The former vice president said in one of the tweets: “@OfficialPDPNIG will remain united. Focus on our actions; we are taking actions to address the feelings of all party members. Unity in our community is my priority.

“Our resolve to unify Nigerians starts in our party and moves to the community then on to society. Every governor, legislator, and other elected officials produced by our party, and party members and loyalists, are much loved and respected by me.”

In another tweet he said: “When they speak, I listen. I do not only listen. Appropriate actions have been taken, are being taken, and will continue to be advanced.”

In a related development, party leaders are said to have started consultations in a bid to stop the party from imploding ahead of the 2023 elections.

A leading figure in the party who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issues explained that the party could ill afford another major crisis at this point.

Makarfi cautions OBJ, Jibrin over Atiku; vows to remain in PDP

Meanwhile, former Governor of Kaduna State and National Caretaker Committee Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has debunked rumours that he was leaving the PDP for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Speaking with journalists in Kaduna, Makarfi picked holes in the comments credited to former President Olusegun Obasanjo that he made a mistake picking Atiku as running mate in 1999, and urged Atiku to meet with Wike to resolve the issues arising from the selection of Okowa as Atiku’s running mate.

On comments credited to Obasanjo, and that of the Board of Trustee (BoT) Chairman of PDP, Walid Jibrin, he said: “What OBJ and Walid Jibril said were unnecessary and they shouldn’t have spoken in that form. All we need now is how to move our party forward for the task of forming a government in 2023.” 

Group calls for calm, charges Atiku to embrace Wike

Disturbed by the brewing crisis, a civil society group under the aegis of Coalition for New Nigeria, CNN, has called for calm among PDP leaders, and charged Atiku to embrace Wike.

Addressing journalists and other civil society organisations in Abuja, National Coordinator of CNN, Prince Stanley Okorie, declared unalloyed support for Atiku and called on the party to, as a matter of urgency, mend fences and unite all stakeholders and Nigerians.

 Convener of the group, Adams Abonu called on the PDP standard bearer to embrace the enthusiasm and commitment of Governor Nyesom Wike, whom he described as a pillar of democracy in Nigeria.

Culled from Vanguard