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Saturday 21 September 2013

PDP CRISES: WATCH YOUR TONGUE, TUKUR FACTION TELLS BARAJE'S GROUP

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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