As Nigerians continue to express fears over the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) electoral victory ahead the 2023 general election consequent upon the intractable crisis that threatened to tear the party, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, on Sunday, met Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, in an apparent move to resolving the lingering crisis that has continued to bedevil the Party.
Speaking after the closed-door meeting in Makurdi, Tambuwal said his visit was aimed at reconciling all aggrieved parties, including the G-5 governors led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state.
According to him, the essence of the meeting is to ensure all the aggrieved individuals in the party are brought on board to for the PDP in 2023.
“We have had time to converse and engage on what is happening in our party. He is a leader as of right in this party when you look at his political trajectory, history and where he is today. He holds a very important position,” Tambuwal said.
The Governor who noted that internal party wranglings are normal, stated that the party is not having a war of attrition but political disagreement that would be resolved as one big indivisible family.
He averred that even in a family, some members have reasons to disagree, agree but such disagreements are amicably resolved by coming together to bond and wax stronger.
“So, it’s work in progress and we have met several times but we are working to bring everybody together to work for this party. That is the mission of my being here in Makurdi.
The Governor who described Ortom as a principled person on the issue on ground, disclosed that thus they had a very strong conversation which he hope to translate to the party’s leadership so that all aggrieved members would be engaged towards making sure that the PDP come out stronger to win the election of 2023.
Earlier, Governor Ortom blamed the festering crisis in the party on demonstration of arrogance by the PDP leadership.
According to him, the leadership of the party failed to make use of the party’s internal mechanism to address number of issues which emerged since the conclusion of the presidential primary election.
Ortom said, “I have told him he is welcome, we are together, we are members of the PDP. But I have said that the leadership of this party have failed to take advantage of the challenges of the party and make it stronger.
“Right from when we held our convention, instead of the leadership deploying its internal dispute resolution mechanism to look at the grievances that arose as a result of the dispute that arose as a result of the primaries no matter how stupid they were. They have failed to do this.
“ So, for me I commend him, for taking this step to visit me. And we have discussed. In my opinion, I think this matter can be resolved.
He, however, expressed optimism that Tambuwal as a leader and DG of the campaign, he would do the needful by reaching out to other aggrieved members of the integrity five group as approaching Governor Orton alone will not solve the problem.
