2019: PDP moves to reclaim Obasanjo, Atiku, others

The PDP, yesterday, inaugurated a reconciliation committee headed by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his Gombe State counterpart, Ibrahim Dankwambo.

The party also inaugurated the convention and disciplinary committees, headed by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and Chief Tom Ikimi, respectively.

The event took place at the Chida Hotel, in Abuja, where the National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, told the reconciliation committee to see to the return of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Senate President Bukola Saraki and many others.

Ex-president Obasanjo had torn his PDP membership card in a dramatic fashion prior to the 2015 general elections and denounced membership of the party, while Atiku dumped the party in 2014.

Similarly, a former Senate president, Ken Nnamani; a former governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo; Senator Nelson Effiong; Senator Andy Ubah,; former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye; former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu; former governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda; governors Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State and Samuel Ortom of Benue State all left the party.

Others who left were former governor of Edo State, Oserheimen Osunbor; former governor of Jigawa State, Saminu Turaki and a former deputy governor, Alhaji Ahmed Mahmud Gumel among many others.

While inaugurating the three committees, Makarfi said “reconciliation is a gradual thing but we must do it with all sense of sincerity.”

He added that “The reconciliation committee is to reconcile and bring back to the fold, those who held top political offices on the platform of the PDP be it president, vice president or speaker.

“We must not close our door to anyone coming into the party. In fact, you can even reconcile with those who have never been in the PDP and bring them into the party. The committee must open the door for new members,” he said.

Chairman of the convention committee, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa said, “We are aware that we have challenges but we are also aware that God has a purpose for that. We are going to organise a convention through non-elective process that will shake Abuja and the entire Nigeria,” he said.

Prominent personalities at the event were former governors Malam Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano), Boni Haruna (Adamawa), Otumba Gbenga Daniel (Ogun), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Liyel Imoke (Cross River) and Emmanuel Uduaghah (Delta).

Others were former deputy Senate president, Ibrahim Mantu; former minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki; broadcast mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi; deputy governors and many other party chieftains.