Dan Atori, Minna
Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State has cautioned that the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) has assumed a dangerous dimension and if not swiftly addressed is capable of destroying Nigeria.
The governor. who stated this yesterday at the PDP stakeholders meeting in Minna to inform members of what transpired at the party’s national convention in Abuja, argued that the challenges confronting the ruling party would not only affect it, but the nation as well, hence the need to act fast.
Recalling some of the political developments and the crisis that engulfed the party’s Special National Convention that resulted in seven governors, including himself, walking out of the venue to form a splinter PDP, he faulted the situation where persons at the helms of affairs intimidate and enforce their personal opinions on the people without giving room for dialogue and negotiation.
He said: “Even though there are issues, they should be discussed and every one carried along. In a situation where one person wants his opinion to overrule others, there will be issues. But, when you persuade them, they will see reasons and accept what you said. That is the only way for which democracy can thrive in the nation.
“If dialogue fails, we must give room for wounds to heal. This gathering is to inform you of what happened in Abuja, last week Saturday, though efforts are on by elders of the party to resolve the impasse with the leaders of the PDP and as soon as they are through, we will also let you know the outcome of their meeting.”
Earlier, the State Chairman of PDP, Dr. Abdulrahaman Enagi, told the governor at the meeting, which has in attendance representatives of the state on the platform of the party in the National Assembly that the state is solidly in support of any position taken by the governor, even as stakeholders await the outcome of the elders’ meeting.
Moving the motion to back the decision of the seven governors, a former member of the House of Assembly, Alhaji Yakubu Esheti, said: “I move that we are solidly behind the Chief Servant in view of the prevailing situation we are facing”.
It was seconded by the political head of the party in Chanchaga Local Government and Commissioner for Water Resources, Hajia Hadiza Abdullahi.
Shortly after the stakeholders meeting, Aliyu told journalists that the seven governors have superior argument to the position adopted by the mainstream PDP and, therefore, should be listened as well.
He lambasted some of the Presidents’ aides for heightening tension as a result of their utterances, arguing that despite their comments, “it is not impossible to remove the National Chairman of the Party Alhaji Bamanga Tukur as some of them will want the public to believe.”
Aliyu also added that the meeting slated for Tuesday could not hold due to the intervention of some elders of the party to resolve the crisis.
