By Onyekachi Eze
Fresh facts have emerged on why attempt to factionalise the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after the December 9, 2017 National Convention, failed. The ill-fated project, floated by some aggrieved aspirants at the convention and some others who wanted to cash into their grievances to make quick money was, on Saturday, collapsed into the main PDP. Former National Chairman of the party, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, led other Board of Trustees (BoT) members to strike the deal that ended the barely a month old crisis. BoT Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin, also said the board and the party leadership were actively involved in the collapse of the factional group into the main PDP.
The group, which called itself “Concerned Stakeholders and Candidates of PDP,” otherwise known as ‘Fresh PDP’, last December, opened a secretariat at No. 10, Tito Broz Street, Asokoro Abuja, and threatened to inaugurate factional National Working Committee (NWC) today.
Obi-Nwosu Emmmanuel, who said he was a member of the December 9 National Convention Planning Committee, was appointed Director General/spokesperson of the group. But at a meeting with some party leaders led by Nwodo, almost all known members of the group attended, except Obi- Nwosu. Olukayode Akindele, former Deputy Director General of Prof. Tunde Adeniran Chairmanship Campaign Organisation, assumed the position of interim chairman of the group.
No reason was given why Obi-Nwosu was absent or the change in nomenclature. Akindele told journalists that the group has decided to sheathe the sword in the interest of Nigeria and the 2019 general elections. “I am delighted to tell you that we have collapsed into the mainstream PDP. We have assurances from our leaders and we will not have a parallel NWC Monday,” he said.
Obi-Nwosu was to later issue a statement yesterday disowning those present at the meeting, describing them as impostors. “The shameful and most pathetic show of unbridled poverty and greed exhibited by these individuals masquerading as spokespersons for the Fresh PDP is most condemnable as they do not have the authority of the DG to do so,” Obi-Nwosu said in the statement. He claimed they were only two persons who initiated the project, adding that some party leaders and members had warned them “about the ugly antecedents of some of these individuals who we allowed to join the Fresh PDP.”
Against the plan to inaugurate factional NWC, Obi-Nwosu said they have decided to set up a Central Working Committee (CWC) for the Fresh PDP, which would “immediately commence arrangements for the conduct of a free and amply transparent elective convention where the authentic NWC of our great party will emerge.”
But a member of the now collapsed faction, Dr. Godwin Duru, alleged that Obi-Nwosu betrayed the aim of the group and wanted to use it for money making venture. Duru, who was an aspirant for the National Organising Secretary position at the December convention, said the group decided to distance itself from the former spokesperson when it discovered that he was holding meetings with some people suspected to be members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Duru said Obi-Nwosu was not interested in the early resolution of the crisis, adding that when PDP leaders approached them for resolution of the matter, the former spokesperson was not interested. “We were telling him, that is why we are doing it, let’s agree and let them agree that they will not do all these things again.
“He said it was too early to end, that other parties, the APC will use us to destroy the party and make more money. We told him that was not the issue. The parties, the BoT, all of them had been sending people to us, through the Publicity Secretary and some senators, but he wants the thing to continue so that he will be making money out of it.
“He wants to use the opportunity because we allowed him to speak for us to claim to be owner of Fresh PDP,” he added. He challenged Obi- Nwosu to show any document he signed as Director General of Fresh PDP if he claims to be the owner of the factional group.
The BoT Chairman, Jibrin, said he was the first to contact the group when it was formed, pleading with them to follow the reconciliation methodology set by the party. “Now that the group has been totally dismantled, PDP is now fully set to take over mantle of leadership at federal, state, and local government levels.
“The BoT shall intensify its efforts in bringing total peace and unity to the party as can be seen in my setting up BoT internal reconciliation committee to settle its aggrieved members under the chairmanship of Senator David Mark. “The committee has begun contacting some foundation members and some aggrieved BoT members. When I receive the report, I will discuss with National Chairman and party leaders to enable us cement our problems,” Jibrin assured.
