Five governors elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, some aggrieved party leaders, and the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, all agreed yesterday on the need for reconciliation to iron out issues that have fueled the party’s crisis.
The agreed-upon governors and party leaders also announced the formation of the Integrity Group.
Remember that the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and Governor Wike were at odds over the removal of Ayu and the need for the South to produce the party’s national chairman.
The G5 governors and some party leaders issued a communique after a strategic meeting in Lagos yesterday.
Addressing newsmen after its closed door meeting, former Plateau State governor, Mr Jonah Jang, said the group had not closed its doors on reconciling with Atiku.
Reading the communique, Jang said: “We have reviewed the issues in our party and we, therefore, stand on the position we took at our last meeting in PortHarcourt and we hereby reiterate our position that the window for reconcilation in our great party, the PDP, remains open.”
Earlier, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State had announced the formation of the Integrity Group, saying it is the face behind the struggle within the PDP.
Makinde said: “We are here this morning to hold a meeting of the Integrity Group within our party, the PDP. You’ve been of the G5 that is the five PDP governor’s. The G5 is all about the Integrity Group. You can see us, five serving governors, as the face of this struggle but the leaders and elders if the party that you see here are the people behind those faces.
“We are this morning in the South west to review the situation within our party, to review where we are and to also look at what is going to happen in the coming elections. At the end of our deliberations, you will be fully briefed on where we stand on those burning issues.
”On behalf of our leaders and elders in the South West, I want to welcome members of the Integrity Group.”
When contacted, spokesperson for the PDP Presidential Committee, Mr Kola Ologbodiyan, said the party’s presidential candidate is also ready for reconciliation and has not shifted his position on it.
Ologbodiyan said: “In conformity with their demands for reconcilation, Atiku Abubakar has always expressed his readiness to work for reconciliation in the party and he has not shifted from that position.
“If you remember at the Guild of Editors’ meeting, he said he is ready for reconciliation and he has not shifted his position.”
Those present at the meeting included Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State.
Others at the meeting were former governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, former Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, former Cross River State governor, Mr Donald Duke, former Plateau State governor, Mr Jonah Jang, and former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Bode George.
Also present were former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Bello Adoke; Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Mr Taofik Arapaja; Senator Nasif Suleiman, Mr Nnena Ukeje, Senator S. O. Onor and Senator Mao Ohabunwa.