Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, yesterday urged members of the party nationwide
not to feel disturbed about the decision by some governors of the party to
defect to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
Anenih, who reacted yesterday when contacted by some pressmen, said that
the action of the affected governors was a sad one.
He, however, expressed satisfaction that the party leadership, President
Goodluck Jonathan, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim
Babangida, former National Chairmen, Senators Barnabas Gemade and Ahmadu
Ali as well as himself “invested enough energy, commitment, maturity and
sincerity in the collective effort at reconciliation.”
According to him, “Indeed, I had expected the governors to stay on in the
Party which has offered them a unique opportunity to serve their people.
Surprisingly, they decided to abandon their home and platform to take up
tenancy in an opposition party even when it was apparent that the effort
of Mr. President for genuine reconciliation was enough for them to see
good reason to show restraint and understanding. However, as adults, the
final decision was and remains theirs.”
Anenih said: “I would like to urge our party members and sympathizers not
to be disturbed by the exit of some of our governors, but to continue to
mobilize grassroots support for our party, Mr. President, and his
Transformation Agenda. Our party is big and strong enough to rebound, as
it has always done, in the face of such challenges.”
He urged them to “rest assured that, on our part at the National level, we
will strive relentlessly to continue to provide focused leadership as well
as keep your hopes and aspirations alive especially at this time and in
the months leading to the crucial 2015 general elections.”
The BoT chairman declared philosophically that “What looks like a setback,
in politics, can turn out to be a blessing in disguise.”