PDP BoT to meet on Wednesday to discuss ‘reconciliation of aggrieved members’

The board of trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss issues affecting the party.

In a statement issued on Monday, Walid Jibril, the PDP BoT chairman, said the meeting will generate “strong recommendations” that will lead to the reconciliation of aggrieved members, including Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state.

“I notice with great concern what the PDP primary elections of Atiku Abubakar and the appointment of Chief Okowa as President and Vice President is unnecessarily causing confusion among some PDP members,” the statement reads.

“May I point out that very strongly that there is no  problem as being envisaged by some people in our great party the PDP.

“I want to assure everyone that all plans are on the ground to bring all members together as one and united, as what is happening in PDP can never be compared with the situation in APC, especially their plans in trying to bring religious issues of Muslim-Muslim President and Vice President.

“I have also noted that some groups are coming up trying to solve the issues of Okowa as Vice-President. The latest group include some former governors of the party and the current governors, some BoT members and elders including Prof Jerry Gana. The aim of the group is to reconcile the aggrieved, especially Wike.

“Interestingly, the BoT, the highest advisory body and the conscience of the party, is meeting on Wednesday, 3rd August, to discuss the issues accordingly by coming up with strong recommendations with the special committee for the special reconciliation of aggrieved members, especially Governor Wike.

“After the BoT meeting, we will meet with Wike and all aggrieved members and all past presidential aspirants. It is my prayers as Chairman of BoT that the PDP will remain strongest and win all elections in 2023.”

The development comes hours after Wike met with his presidential campaign council at the Rivers governor’s lodge in Abuja.

Wike had contested the PDP presidential ticket in May but came second to Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president.

Subsequently, Abubakar picked Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta, as his running mate.

The decision has caused division in the party, as some party stakeholders, including Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, had expressed concerns over Atiku’s decision to ignore Wike, who was reportedly recommended for the position by the party’s national working committee (NWC).