Obj Fails In Attempt To Reconcile PDP Warring Parties

Moves by elders of the Peoples Democratic Party, led by former President Olusegun Obasanjo aimed at restoring peace in the troubled party may have failed.

Obasanjo and other senior members of the party met with its two factions at Hilton Hotel, Abuja on Friday to discuss how to settle the differences among the warring factions. But both parties insisted that their conditions for peace must be satisfied before the party could move forward.

Those at the meeting, apart from Obasanjo, who tried to mediate were a former military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.); former chairmen of the party, Dr. Ahmadu Ali,  Sen. Barnabas Gemade and Chairman, Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih.

Both Chief Solomon Lar and Alex Ekwueme were absent at the meeting as they were said to have travelled outside the country.

The National Chairman of the party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, also led some members of his National Working Committee to the meeting.

Members of the New PDP, who were at the meeting were its National Chairman, Alhaji Kawu Baraje; National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Jaja; former Governor of Gombe State, Sen. Danjuma Goje; and the former Governor of Kwara State, Sen. Bukola Saraki.

Others are the Governor of Jigawa State., Alhaji Sule Lamido; Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi and the Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko.

Governors who came on the side of the Tukur-led PDP  included Liyel Imoke(Cross River), Idris Wada(Kogi), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Theordore Orji(Abia), Godswill Akpabio(Akwa Ibom), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Ibrahim Shem(Katsina) and Isa Yuguda(Bauchi).

Speaking with journalists at the end of the meeting, which ended at 2-58 pm. Obasanjo, said that he and members of his mediating team were trying to salvage the party.

Obasanjo, who spoke in company with Babangida, Anenih, Gemade and Ali said, “Gentlemen of the press, I thank you for exercising patience. Let me point out, you have seen five of us as select elders of the party.

“We have taken it upon ourselves to prevent the worst from happening to our dear party. Two of our members are abroad and could not join us.

“They are Solomon Lar and Alex Ekwueme but we are carrying them along in whatever reports we are making, but suffice it to say that there is a family dispute within the PDP, which we want to stem the tide of going to the brink.

“And I want to say that we have met with the two sides of the family, we have listened to them and of course we are going to put our heads together and go on from there.”