Atiku: I’ll unite all aggrieved PDP members

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has vowed to end the crisis rocking the PDP and bring the members of the party together under “a formidable umbrella”.

Atiku said a remarkable lesson he has learned in politics is that in some instances, “conflicts are healthy realities”, noting that when conflicts arise out of genuine concerns about having an inclusive political process, it indicates the viability of that process and the eagerness of stakeholders to be active participants in the success of such process.

The former Vice President said this in a statement he personally issued and made available to The Star on Monday.

The crisis rocking the main opposition party ahead of the 2023 general election took a new turn last Wednesday when the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, said he has not received direction from God to support Atiku for the 2023 presidential election.

Ortom, while speaking in an interview on Arise TV, also said he had expected Atiku to choose Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, as his running mate instead of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa.

The governor added that the PDP presidential flag bearer chose Okowa, contrary to the selection of Wike as the party’s vice-presidential candidate.

This was just as the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, said the Southern part of the country must produce President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor in 2023.

The Star recalls that Wike contested and lost the PDP presidential ticket to Atiku.

Atiku polled 371 to defeat Wike, who garnered 237 votes.

The PDP National Working Committee (NWC) later nominated three names that included Okowa, Wike, and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, to Atiku for the party’s vice-presidential candidate.

However, the former Vice President, on Monday, said the seething agitations in the PDP were a reflection of the party’s leaders and stakeholders’ credential as a democratic party.

He added that the agitations were borne out of collective concern for the growth of the party and the country.

Atiku stated: “One of the characteristic attributes of democracy that I admire a lot is that it is a system with an intrinsic asset of crisis management.

“It becomes even interesting that perhaps the most noteworthy outcome of a democratic process is the greater possibility of conflict generation.

“So, a remarkable lesson that I have learned in politics is that in some instances, conflicts are healthy realities.

“I know, for instance, that when conflicts arise out of genuine concerns about having an inclusive political process, it signposts the viability of that process and, more importantly, the eagerness of stakeholders to be active participants in the success of such process.

“As leaders and stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party, the simmering agitations in our party are a reflection of our credential as a democratic party.

“Whatever our agitations are, I believe it is borne out of collective concern for the growth of our party and the country. Therefore, I don’t see a divided house in the PDP. I see an opportunity for us to come together stronger and united.

“As a presidential candidate of the PDP, I shall ensure that I do my all to bring the party together under a formidable umbrella.

“We must not lose focus of the bigger purpose of rescuing the country from the hardship that fellow Nigerians continue to endure under the ruling party.

“When the PDP gets better, the hopes in Nigerians get even higher that rescue is imminent,” the PDP presidential standard-bearer said.

The Star