Olusola Fabiyi and Godwin Isenyo
The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Walid Jibrin, said on Sunday that changing the name of the party would be a disaster for the country’s political development.
He declared that posterity would not forgive any member of the party plotting to destroy the PDP and dumping it to form another party.
Jibrin dismissed the rumour that some members of the main opposition party were planning to form another party.
The BoT chairman, who spoke at a press conference in Kaduna, said members were working assiduously to reposition the PDP to reclaim power from the APC, stating that posterity would not forgive any member, who wanted to kill the party to satisfy personal interest.
He dissociated himself from any plan to dump the former ruling party.
In a report last week, the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the PDP had alleged that the Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s group was planning to woo some agrieved senators and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress to team up with the group to form another party.
The PUNCH also reported that the Sheriff faction equally alleged that Makarfi’s group was plotting to kill the PDP, dump it and form another party.
But Jibrin claimed that every organ of the party was working to strengthen the party to enable it to play its role as an effective opposition party in the country.
Jibrin added, “I wish to say authoritatively that there is no plan to dump the PDP as it was never discussed or any discussion taken by any organ of the party.
“If we do that, posterity will not forgive us because the PDP is already a household name, dearly loved by every household in Nigeria. Posterity will judge any one with the ambition to kill the PDP; for his ambition is quite contrary to the hard work of our founding fathers and mothers, who worked so hard to produce the brand PDP.
“Changing its name and brand will be a disaster for Nigeria’s political development, especially when we cast our mind back to the hard work and foresight of our founding fathers and mothers, who came up with the brand name, PDP, which is fully accepted and cherished by Nigerians.”
On the November 26 governorship poll in Ondo State, the BoT chairman expressed optimism that Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, who he described as the PDP candidate, would win the election.
Meanwhile, the National Caretaker Committee of the PDP has called for the reinstatement of the deposed Ojuromi of Uromi, Anslem Edenojie, by the Edo State Government.
A former Minister of Works, who is also a former Chairman, BoT of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, hails from Uromi.
The deposed traditional ruler was relieved of his position for allegedly assaulting a woman during the Edo State governorship election in September.
The monarch refused to apologise to the woman within the stipulated time after the woman, who was allegedly assaulted, reported him to the government.
Edonojie was suspended, forcing the embattled traditional ruler to approach the court, where he sued the former governor, Adams Oshiomhole, and demanded N1bn as damages.
The state government fired the traditional ruler the following day.
However, the PDP, under the leadership of Senator Ahmed Makarfi, faulted Oshiomhole for sacking the monarch, describing the action as an evidence of the former governor’s favouritism.
Spokesperson for the party, Dayo Adeyeye, who stated this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said, “The deposition is further evidence of favouritism and despotic reign of Adams Oshiomhole as the (former) governor of Edo State for the past eight years.
“It is also the evidence of the desire of the All Progressives Congress to destroy all constitutional and traditional institutions as well as the constitutional rights and freedom of the Nigerian people in its bid to establish a one party state.
“The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria empowers all Nigerian citizens to support, associate with and be affiliated to any political party and candidate of their choice.”
Adeyeye said it was a known fact that several traditional rulers demonstrated open support, and in fact campaigned for the APC candidate, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, during the state governorship election.
Obaseki, who won the election, was sworn in on Saturday as the governor of the state.
Adeyeye added that the action of the former governor was an indication of his alleged willingness to “destroy constitutional and traditional institutions that do not display obvious support for the tyrannical and anti-people programmes and policies of the APC.”
He urged well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on Obaseki to reverse the deposition by restoring the monarch to his stool.
