A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustee and former Governor of Plateau State, Senator Jonah Jang has strongly condemned the crisis rocking the opposition party saying until it corrects the mistakes, that it deliberately made, the future is bleak and the party may be caught in a trap it has set for itself.
Addressing newsmen in Jos, Senator Jang said as the 2023 presidential election is fast approaching, the party must address the crisis arising from its presidential primary and selection of a running mate and urgently put its house in order to make an impact in the elections.
He narrated that governorship elections in Ekiti State have shown that the PDP cannot go to the general elections with a divided house and tasked the leadership of the party and stakeholders to return to the drawing board, make right the wrong decisions they have taken and begin to ensure that they are prepared to go to the field without any baggage from the decisions they have made.
His words: “As one of the founding fathers alive today, one who participated in the processes that set the background for our primaries, I am compelled to add my voice to that of prominent members of our great party who have shown dismay with recent happenings, particularly with the emergence of the Vice-presidential candidate.
“While it is no longer news that the presidential primaries have come and gone and a candidate emerged, it is disheartening that the manner in which the vice-presidential candidate emerged is nothing but sheer disregard for processes. We all are aware of the fact that the party, in consultation with the presidential candidate, set up a committee to select a running mate.
“To turn around and throw away the outcome of the exercise is clear proof that the work of the committee was either not appreciated or was not going to be in consideration ab initio. To quote Governor Samuel Ortom who was a member of the 17-member committee set up by Atiku to recommend a running mate for him, he said ‘Fourteen of us in the committee said the person should be Nyesom Wike unfortunately Atiku picked Okowa in his wisdom.” He added, “You cannot ignore a decision of a committee you set up yourself and expect people to be happy.”
He added that the party cannot disregard people who have dedicated themselves to building the party and expect to make meaningful progress.
“That such people are treated the way the party is currently doing is a pointer to the fact that more is to come. No one who intends to go against the APC, which has failed in its promises but thrives on propaganda will go with a divided camp.
“This explains the urgency with which the party ought to retrace its step in the right direction with a hope of salvaging the already bad situation within the shortest time.”
Senator Jang further stated that the Board of Trustees (BoT) and the NWC of PDP are aware of the cracks already rearing their ugly head and must do all within their powers to stop further dissonance arising from the treatment of ranking members of the party, especially Governor Nyesom Wike.
He added that the present situation where the Governors of the party have started distancing themselves from the activities of the party and other influential members making public statements indicating their displeasure is not a good sign.
According to him, whatever the party or the presidential candidate had agreed with Governor Nyesom Wike should have been followed as a mark of honesty, sincerity and in the spirit of the unity of the party adding that plunging the party into unnecessary disagreements months away from the general elections is not in the interest of the party or its teeming supporters who were looking forward to a formidable front to dislodge the APC and the sufferings it has brought on the people.
“It is unfortunate that the very man who admittedly, has been a pillar of the party at a time the repressive tendencies of the governing APC was to send the PDP into oblivion will be treated in the manner the party has.
“Until we correct the mistakes, which we deliberately made, the future is bleak and the PDP may be caught in a trap it has set for itself. We cannot run a campaign for a candidate whose campaign promise is hinged on uniting Nigerians but not be seen to be doing enough to bring party members together.
“The time to act is now, all well-meaning party leaders and stakeholders must rise in defence of the truth as a way of assuring our teeming supporters of the seriousness of the party to wrest power from the APC and end the bad governance which has become the order of the day. We can not fold our hands and watch the party drift away from the tenets which have made it the only truly democratic party in Nigeria”
The former governor said the whims of a few should not be allowed to override the choices of many who believe in the PDP and its ability to return Nigeria to its glorious days.