Muazu to Fayose, others: I surrender

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, has appealed to party members and stakeholders to rest all misunderstandings and work toward the party’s stability and survival.
He made the appeal in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State and a few others have been campaigning for Mu’azu’s sack, following the loss of the party during the March 28 and April 11 general elections.
Mu’ azu urged the members across the country to put the disappointment its defeat at the just-concluded elections may have caused them and the party behind.
He said that though the party’s defeat was painful, ‘’members should key into the intervention by President Goodluck Jonathan and not allow the situation to further divide it’’.
He maintained that the party`s national leadership had noted the various reactions that trailed its unfortunate loss in the elections.
He remarked that a section of the media had, in the last few weeks, been feasting on such reactions, ‘’blowing it out of proportion’’.
“As the National Chairman and a key stakeholder in this party in the last 16 years, I quite understand and appreciate the concern, pain and frustrations of our members regarding our defeat.
“I am also deeply worried about the division the development has generated within the PDP family, especially regarding whether or not the national leadership should be dissolved as a direct consequence of our collective challenge.
“In the course of events, there have been reactions and counter-reactions among party members; mistakes have been made, with some avoidable.
“But, this is the time to put all of them behind us and move ahead as our party and its interest remain paramount and overriding.
“Expectedly, our party has had a share of media bashing and misrepresentations, which contributed immensely to the misunderstanding we are facing in our fold,’’ he stated.
He added that such misrepresentations of the party`s leaders also abound in the social media and called on members to be wary of them.
He said that as a committed member of the party for 16 years and having been a state governor on its platform for eight years, he appreciated the reactions of some of the party`s over the developments in their fold.
“I very much appreciate the reactions of some of our members like Governor Ayo Fayose, whose victory in Ekiti in June 2014, helped to strengthen our party, particularly in the South-West region.
“Nevertheless, in the larger interest of our party, we all must resolve to bury the hatchet and pick our pieces to rebuild the party and return it to its winning ways,’’ M’azu said.
He said that in the wisdom of the party`s leadership, a Post-Election Assessment Committee headed by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, had been set up.
He said that it was, therefore, necessary for all to support the committee with meaningful report that would provide answers to the challenges and roadmap for the party`s future.
He pointed out that his recent absence from the country had led to some apprehensions within the party, resulting in various public interpretations.
He said that his trip was on health reasons, adding that he had stated responding to care and would return to the country soon.
‘’I wish to charge all members that though we have had our setback, we are not down and out. The PDP remains the largest political party in the country.
‘’What we need now more than ever before is to unite as therein lies our strength as a family. Fighting ourselves will not yield anyone any good,’’ he advised.
He urged members to remain focused and join forces with their leaders at all levels to actualise the collective quest to rebuild the PDP and reposition it to regain power in 2019.