Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, yesterday intervened in the lingering crisis in the party with a fresh call on leaders and members to stop making inflammatory statements that are capable of undermining the ongoing efforts at reconciliation.
In a statement entitled: “A Call for Caution”, issued in Abuja, Anenih said that making preemptive statements amid reconciliation process was disrespectful to President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP leadership at whose instance the reconciliation efforts are being made.
The statement reads: “Following the walk-out staged by some aggrieved members of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the special Convention of 31st August, 2013, there have been genuine efforts by the leadership of the party, including the President himself, to reach out and reconcile with the aggrieved members, using the numerous mechanisms for conflict resolution that exist in the party.
“A series of meetings have been held and more are scheduled to hold in the next few days.
“It is unfortunate that while the reconciliation efforts are being made, some of our members are making inflammatory statements, intimidating one another and issuing threats of court actions. Such actions do nothing but harm the efforts at reconciliation.
“Like a good family, we must avoid open confrontation and allow the leadership of the party to effect genuine reconciliation. “Conflict is not new to the PDP and, as in the past, I am confident that, in spite of the differences, the current one will be resolved, with the party coming out even stronger and more united than ever.
“To make preemptive statements while the process of reconciliation is still on, is disrespectful not only to the President but also to the party leadership. Such statements undermine the party and the enormous efforts being made under the transformation agenda of the Mr. President.
“I therefore call on all members of our great party to exercise restraint throughout this trying period.”
Anenih had on Tuesday, this week, explained why the peace talks with the aggrieved PDP governors that began Sunday night and ended Monday morning could not continue after the party leadership and presidency had resolved to continue their talks with the aggrieved governors that day.
He said the aggrieved governors had sought for more time to consult more widely, explaining that the party leadership and the presidency too were disposed to more time for wider consultations.
Anenih disclosed that part of the wider consultation was a scheduled meeting of selected party leaders with former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday (today’s) morning.
According to him, the meeting with the aggrieved governors would therafter continue on Tuesday, next week.
He expressed optimism that with the party’s internal mechanism for conflict resolution, the aggrieved governors, some of whom he said had genuine grievances, would come back to the party once the contending issues were resolved.
The BoT chair said he was confident that the party would come out stronger after the resolution of the “minor crisis” in the party.