The Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) on Wednesday said it was not just an
opposition party but a government-in-waiting.
Chairman of National Caretaker Committee of the party, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi,
stated this when he received syndicate reports of the Strategy Review
Committee led by Prof. Jerry Gana in Abuja.
He said that PDP would become the ruling party in 2019 if its members did
the right thing.
“It is in the interest of Nigerians that opposition exists and is strong.
“Nigerians will not expect opposition that behaves in unruly manner; one
that will be there to talk down on government all the time.
“I think we should not be unreasonable in our opposition.
“We should use our brains so that when we criticise and bring out
alternative ways of doing things, we will convince Nigerians that we are
better set of people to rule Nigeria.
“But, if we show that there is no difference, Nigerians will say `no, they
are birds of the same feather’.
“That is why we must criticise, using our brain to actually connect with
Nigerians so that we can convince them that we are what we say we are,”
Makarfi said.
On reconciliation in the party, the chairman said that the party’s
leadership must not withdraw from any opportunity to reconcile with its
members.
“We must not close door for reconciliation and negotiation but we must
reconcile based on strong position. A unified judgment by Court of Appeal
will place us in good stead.’’
He added that it was only the judgment from the Court of Appeal in Port
Harcourt that the party was waiting for in moving forward.
“We are waiting for judgment that will restore hope.
“How the court will restore that hope is for the will of PDP members to be
respected, and we are giving the legal right for us to go ahead to build a
virile party.’’
Markarfi, however, urged the party executive and its organs at the state
and local government levels to continue to work while waiting for the
court’s decision on its leadership.
He commended the committee for its efforts towards the repositioning of
the party, recalling that the committee was self-funded “and this is the
kind of sacrifice that PDP needs to rise and fly again’’.
Presenting the report earlier, Gana said that the committee would submit
its final report at the end of January.
Gana said that the committee also planned to have a brief session with PDP
governors and the National Assembly caucus before the submission of the
report.
The Gana’s committee was set up in November, 2016, to evolve ways to
reconcile the party leadership crisis and reposition it to win future
elections.