By Bayo Davids<\/p>\n
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday expressed its readiness to bring back into its fold former aggrieved governors who worked against the interest of the party in the 2023 general election.<\/p>\n
The aggrieved former Governors made up of Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) as well as incumbent Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, formed the Integrity Group, which worked against the presidential candidacy of Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 election.<\/p>\n
Apart from Makinde who in the past two months, attended events staged by the PDP; other members of the group have kept a distance from the party, fueling speculations that they might be plotting to dump the PDP for the governing All Progressives Congress.<\/p>\n
Wike and Ortom have particularly been unrepentant about their criticisms of the PDP and Atiku even as the former is being touted to make the ministerial list expected to be transmitted to the Senate for screening and confirmation by President Bola Tinubu.<\/p>\n
Although, Debo Olodunagba and Ibrahim Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary and Deputy National Publicity Secretary respectively of the PDP declined to speak on whether the party\u2019s door are still open to reconciling with the Wike-led group, Chinwe Nnorom, Director of Publicity at the PDP National Secretary told this medium that the party would not shut its doors against the aggrieved ex-governors.<\/p>\n
Asked if reconciliation is still within the realm of possibility between the PDP and the Integrity Group, she said, \u201cSure! The party\u2019s door will always remain open for reconciliation of its members at all levels.\u201d<\/p>\n
This position did not however sit well with a member of the PDP\u2019s National Executive Committee, Timothy Osadolor who argued that \u201cYou cannot eat your cake and have it.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to him, \u201cThe way Wike and Ortom went about their grievances with the party was very despicable. Any sane person will tell you that they should have a second thought about their coming back to the PDP. Even if the party leadership say they can come back, what of the victory that they denied the party? What will be the psyche of those who felt these leaders are not mean of integrity?<\/p>\n
\u201cThey say it is numbers that make a political party, that is fine. If they return as ordinary members, that is fine but to assume a position of influence in the party; I think that is impossible. The only way they can consider returning to the party\u2019s fold is if their aspiration is dashed by Bola Tinubu. We have seen the bootlicking, hobnobbing and lobbying that Wike has been doing particularly around the Villa in recent time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Wike gets the appointment that he has been looking for, you know that he won\u2019t come back in the name of reconciliation. It is only when his hope is dashed that he would think of going back to the PDP because it would be said that he lost at home and away. If they have any shred of integrity and character left in them, the group shouldn\u2019t see returning to the PDP as one of their options,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Why reconciliation is open-NEC member<\/p>\n
In a separate conversation with our correspondent, immediate past National Secretary of the PDP, and member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), Senator Ibrahim Tsauri stated that until the Wike-led group decide to leave the PDP, the party would not slam the door against the chieftains.<\/p>\n
In a telephone interview with our correspondent, he asked, \u201cHave you heard that they have left the party? For me, I didn’t hear or read it from any sources. The door of reconciliation, as a civilized political party, can only be shut the day they declare that they have left the party or they take appointment with the APC government since PDP doesn’t recognize unity government.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if they leave the party but choose not to declare for another political party, the door of reconciliation will not be shut. PDP is a party of civilized democrats, not uncivilized ones.\u201d<\/p>\n
That said, Tsauri added that the reconciliation would not be an option forever, stressing that time will tell what becomes of the Wike-led group\u2019s status in the PDP.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly a devil will shut his doors for reconciliation. But if the devil possesses the former aggrieved governors and they make declaration for another party, then it is them that shut the door, not the PDP,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n
By Bayo Davids The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday expressed its readiness to bring back into its fold former aggrieved governors who worked against the interest of the party…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":106423,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-106422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n