The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it is confident of victory in the rescheduled governorship election in Edo, if the poll is conducted in a free and fair manner. The Chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi made the statement on Monday in Abuja in an interview with newsmen. He said that all the leaders and members of the party irrespective of their interest and factions were working for the party’s candidate, Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu, in the Sept. 28 election. “I have never heard of any PDP member in Edo, no matter the personal interest of such member campaigning for APC.
“All the report reaching me is that all PDP members, irrespective of their aliment, have been campaigning for the party. “That assures us that we are on course and we are confident that if free and fair election holds, we are going to come out victorious. We have no fear at all,’’ Makarfi said. On reconciliation of the leadership crisis rocking the party, Makarfi said that the PDP under his leadership was opened to rational and reasonable demand for reconciliation. “When you are in the process of reconciliation, you talk less. “When you talk about the actions being taken or contemplated, you may indirectly be undermining the process. “All I can say is that, we on this side of the divide are open to reconciliation. “Such reconciliation must not be forceful; there must be flexibility when you are talking of reconciliation,’’ he added. Makarfi said that the PDP believes that even when it wins all the litigation that arise from the leadership crisis, there was still need for internal reconciliation.
He said that members of the party had nothing to fear over the ongoing process because they believe that they would come out stronger when the stormy period is over. Secretary to the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Sen. Ben Obi, said that the committee was committed to restructuring the party to its past glory. “We are deeply committed in making sure that PDP comes back to its old self. “That is what the chairman has been busy doing in the last three or four weeks meeting various leaders across the country in search of peace. “If this country has to be rescued, it needs the active involvement of the PDP as solid opposition party to engage the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, in its activities and programmes,’’ Obi said.
