The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih, has come under scathing criticism for his position that the governors of the party who are part of the new faction headed by Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje had a point.
A group, the Congress for Equality, attacked Anenih for his soft stance.
The group said Anenih should rather be resolute in fighting members of the‘New PDP’ by standing solidly behind President Goodluck Jonathan and factional National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
The group, which met at the residence of Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, on Thursday in Abuja, said that Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s comment on Tukur should not be tolerated.
In attendance were Chief Edwin Clark, retired Major General David Jemibewon and retired General IBM Haruna.
In a communiqué signed by Ameh Ebute, the Congress for Equality said that Anenih should not have said that the aggrieved governors had genuine complaints but rather “should distance himself from the demands of these so-called ‘aggrieved governors’ and join Tukur to work for the party in truth and spirit.”
They condemned the part of the demands of the aggrieved governors that President Jonathan should denounce his 2015 ambition and restrain the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from harassing them.
“Every past Head of State or President had weakness, but such weaknesses were not sufficient to deny them their constitutional right to vie for a second term,” Ebute said.
Anenih had said he was bothered that inflammatory utterances coming from the two warring factions in the party is capable of aggravating the crisis if not urgently checked.
He, therefore, called on both sides to be cautious, expressing optimism that the crisis, which he regarded as “minor”, would soon be resolved.
Chief Anenih in a statement titled: “A Call for Caution”, opined that it amounts to act of disrespect for President Jonathan if chieftains would continue to fire salvo while reconciliation is ongoing.
His words: “Following the walk-out staged by some aggrieved members of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the special Convention of 31st August, 2013, there have been genuine efforts by the leadership of the party, including the President himself, to reach out and reconcile with the aggrieved members, using the numerous mechanisms for conflict resolution that exist in the party.
“A series of meetings have been held and more are scheduled to hold in the next few days. It is unfortunate that while the reconciliation efforts are being made, some of our members are making inflammatory statements, intimidating one another and issuing threats of court actions. Such actions do nothing, but harm the efforts at reconciliation.
“Like a good family, we must avoid open confrontation and allow the leadership of the party to effect genuine reconciliation. Conflict is not new to the PDP and, as in the past, I am confident that, in spite of the differences, the current one will be resolved, with the party coming out even stronger and more united than ever.
“To make preemptive statements while the process of reconciliation is still on is disrespectful not only to the President but also to the party leadership. Such statements undermine the party and the enormous efforts being made under the transformation agenda of the Mr. President.
“I therefore call on all members of our great party to exercise restraint throughout this trying period.”
The BoT chairman said another round of consultation meeting has been scheduled with former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday morning, adding that aggrieved governors would thereafter be met on Tuesday.
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