Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa
State was on Monday named as the Chairman of the 30-man Peoples
Democratic Party National Reconciliation Committee.
Dickson, who hails from the same state
with President Goodluck Jonathan, is one of the 16 governors backing the
Governor Jonah Jang-led faction of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
Dickson’s headship of the committee has already been faulted by the
Rivers State Government which described him as one of President
Goodluck Jonathan’s “hatchet men.”
The PDP became more polarised since the
conduct of the NGF election, which the Governor of Rivers State, Mr.
Rotimi Amaechi, won with 19 votes.
Few days after the forum’s election,
the PDP announced the suspension of Amaechi, claiming that the action
was taken because he declined to reconstitute the executive of
Obiokpor Local Government council of the state.
Even though Amaechi is currently challenging his suspension in court, there has been a series of crises in the state.
Few days ago, four governors elected on
the PDP platform were in the state to see him but were reportedly
molested by youths said to have been sponsored by those opposed to the
governor.
The setting up of the committee came few
days after some PDP governors visited former President Olusegun
Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where they complained about
happenings in the party.
Acting National Publicity Secretary of
the party, Mr. Tony Okeke, who announced the setting up of the
Reconciliation Committee, said its members would be inaugurated on
Thursday.
Alhaji Asheik Jarma and Mr Umar Damagun, will serve as the Deputy Chairman and Secretary, respectively.
Other members include; Dr. I.A. Obuzor,
Alhaji Salisu Suleiman, Sen. Walid Jibrin, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, Alhaji
Bello Mohammed, Alhaji Niyi Fadimula Mr Jerome Eke, Mr Tijani Kiyawa,
and Mr Chris Marizu.
Dr Christy Silas, Mr Jangwe Yusuf, Mrs
Ngozi Olejeme, Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, Yakubu
Shehu, Mohammed Kuchazi, Mrs Adedeji Olarenwaju and Prince Arthur Eze,
are also members of the committee.
The list also includes, Chief Emma
Iwuagwu, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu, Sen. Umar Gada, Dosun Fatokun, Mr Harold
Eze, Hajia Fati Sabo, Alhaji Wakili Mohammed, Alhaji Shittu Mohammed and
Chief Dapo Sarumi.
Okeke, in a statement said, “In
furtherance of the efforts to ensure comprehensive reconciliation among
members and interests in the party, the National Working Committee of
the PDP has set up a National Reconciliation Committee to harmonise all
interests and achieve genuine reconciliation across board.”
But in Port Harcourt, the Chief of
Staff, Government House, Mr. Tony Okocha, expressed dissatisfaction
that Dickson, an interested party in the crisis rocking the party, was
selected to lead the reconciliation committee.
He argued that the PDP should have
nominated a Nigerian that had no interest in the crisis affecting the
PDP so that the committee would appear genuine.
Okocha stated that there were prominent
Nigerians known for their ability to broker peace in crisis situations
and wondered why none of them was selected to head the committee.
He added that bringing in those that
were the masterminds of the NGF crisis to head such a committee would
not help to achieve the reconciliation, which the party was seeking.
Okocha said, “That committee headed by
Dickson has a script to act out. When you are out to make peace, you
must try as much as possible to isolate interested parties. Seriake
Dickson is one of the hatchet men of the President.
“There are Nigerians who are peaceful.
They (PDP) should look at them in selecting those that would reconcile
aggrieved members of the party. What has just happened is like
appointing (Godswill) Akpabio to head a committee to reconcile aggrieved
members of the party that include Governor Amaechi.
“You can’t bring those that were the
masterminds of the crisis in the NGF to head the reconciliation
committee. It will not help any reconciliation effort. I can sit here
now and tell you the outcome of the panel’s efforts. Like I said; they
are only acting a script.”
Meanwhile, the Presidency has said
that Amaechi misfired by accusing the President of turning the PDP
into a “one-man-show.”
Special Adviser to the President on
Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, said this in an interview with one of
our correspondents in Abuja on Monday.
Apart from accusing Jonathan of running a “one-man-show” in the PDP, Amaechi had in an interview granted the Financial Times of London,alleged that Jonathan was condoning “impunity and authoritarianism” in an effort to ensure re-election in 2015.
But Gulak said there was nothing farther from the truth than the governor’s statement.
He said the President does not only
abide by the constitutions of the country and the PDP, he consults
robustly before party decisions are taken.
The presidential aide added that
contrary to Amaechi’s claim, all constitutionally recognised party
organs take part in decision-making.
He cited an example of a recent decision
to hold the party’s special convention, saying that resolution was
taken by the party’s National Executive Council.
Gulak said, “That statement credited to
Ameachi is very wrong; it is not true that the President is running the
PDP as a one-man show.
“I can tell you authoritatively that
every senior stakeholder in the party is consulted before decisions
relating to the party are taken. All constitutionally recognised organs
of the party such as the National Working Committee, the NEC and the
Board of Trustees take part in decision-making processes.
“For example, it was the NEC that
recently decided that the party should hold a special convention. The
President is a man that abides by the constitutions of the country and
the party. He consults robustly before taking decisions.
“If it is true that Amaechi made that statement, he misfired.”
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Govt house Port Harcourt should not look at who heads the committee If they start selecting who heads then they are not interested and the devil pushing Amechi will consume him He cannot win an election on his own and the Northerners he is putting his trust on will disappoint him period
ReplyDeletehe dt comes to equity must come wit clean hands. Food for thought.
ReplyDeleteAmaechi's reaction to this peace moves goes to show that he is not interested in reconciliation. His advisers are busy drumming the embers of war some for their personal gain. Maybe Governor wamako or Aliyu or Okorocha or sule lamido would have been the best choice. Amaechi should not forget that whom the gods want to destroy he first made him mad!
ReplyDelete