The Bamanga Tukur-led Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Abubakar Baraje-led faction
against provocative and unguarded utterances in the raging crisis within
the ruling party.
Tukur admonished the faction not to see
the crisis as a fight to the finish, saying that ongoing peace efforts
by prominent elders and leaders of the party should be given a chance.
At a briefing by the PDP National
Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, on Friday, the party appealed to
the faction to thread carefully so as not to jeopardise the peace
process.
Metuh said: “The party has taken a
critical look at the implications of cascading developments arising from
the challenges posed by the actions and utterances of our estranged
brothers in our membership.
“We have seriously taken into account
steps taken as well as the gravity of utterances credited to our
brothers, especially in the wake of our last reconciliation meeting.
“We therefore wish to state for the
avoidance of doubt that the fact that our leaders are wisely decided on
the path of caution and decorum, does not in any way suggest that we are
afraid of the consequences of doing otherwise.
“We have only applied a common African wisdom that yes, we have the strength of a lion but better when not applied needlessly.”
The party expressed the hope that the
crisis would be amicably resolved and that the challenges would be
surmounted if both parties exercise discretion.
According to the PDP, the party’s
constitution has adequate procedures for dispute resolution among
members, stressing that it is unnecessary to make a public theatre of
the crisis.
“To leaders among them, we say once
more, this macabre dance is unnecessary. This grotesque dance in the
manner of an avant-garde Nollywood actor will surely satisfy emotions
but will incredibly lead to loss of faith and throw up anti-heroes
instead of heroes,” the party spokesman said.
He reminded the factional members that
most of them have at one time or the other benefitted from the platform
of the PDP, adding that they also should allow the party the benefit of
their commitment.
Regretting the fracas that ensued during
the visit of the G7 governors and the factional leaders to the National
Assembly on Tuesday, Metuh said the leadership of the party had decided
not to react to the ugly incident in the interest of peace.
“The provisions of the constitution of
our great party must therefore be held sacrosanct by all members. We the
leaders, even have a greater responsibility to show worthy examples,”
he quipped.
Metuh admonished the estranged members
to spare some respect for President Goodluck Jonathan, the party
chairman, the Board of Trustees chair and other leaders of the party by
refraining from provocative actions and utterances.
He ruled out the option of removing
Tukur as chairman of the party as one of the conditions for peace,
saying that the entire National Working Committee of the party reposed
absolute confidence in him.
The Baraje faction is demanding, among
others, the removal of Tukur, lifting of the suspension order on
Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, return of party structures in
the states to the governors and rescission of Jonathan’s 2015
re-election bid.
“The differences for now remain
challenges of intepretation of process, procedures and trust. It must
neither be blown out of proportion nor be allowed to obstruct the cause
and course of good governance.
“We must bear in mind that what makes or mars our strength is our ultimate performance as a ruling party,” he stated.
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