The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih, has been criticized for a statement credited to him on the emergence of a faction of the party.
Anenih had stated that the governors of the party who are part of the new faction headed by Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje had a point.
But a group, the Congress for Equality, on Thursday said Anenih belittled his person and office for not standing solidly behind President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
At a meeting held at the residence of Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, on Thursday in Abuja, the group condemned the stance of the Abubakar Baraje’s faction, that President Jonathan should drop his purported 2015 ambition.
In a communiqué signed by Ameh Ebute, on behalf of 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 in spirit.”
“Every past Head of State or President had weaknesses, but such weaknesses were not sufficient to deny them their constitutional rights to vie for a second term,” Ebute said.
Also in attendance were retired Major General David Jemibewon and retired General IBM Haruna.
Chief Anenih had in a statement titled: “A Call for Caution”, said that that it amounts to act of disrespect for President Jonathan if chieftains would continue to fire salvo while reconciliation is ongoing.
Continuing, “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.”
Meanwhile, another round of consultation is scheduled to hold today with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in attendance.
Some PDP elders are also expected to be part of the talks, which will discuss ways to end the factionalization of the party.
Sources say the aggrieved PDP governors would be met next week.
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