Running Mate: Jang Tells PDP How To Solve Lingering Crisis
Former Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang has advised the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to adopt a unified approach to resolve the lingering dissatisfaction in the party.
It is believed that the fallout of the PDP presidential primaries and the emergence of Ifeanyi Okowa as the party’s Vice Presidential candidate has caused bad blood between Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and the party
The silence of the Rivers governor following the happenings is also believed to be causing jitters within the PDP leadership.
Reacting to the matter in a statement in Jos on Friday, Jang said that the manner in which Okowa emerged as the party’s vice-presidential candidate is nothing but sheer disregard for processes.
Jang asserted that the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was wrong for jettisoning the choice of Wike as his running mate as recommended by the National Working Committee and Selection Committee.
The former governor advised both the party and its presidential candidate to immediately correct the ‘mistake’ to enable the party to move forward ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
He said: “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 a 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 that ‘You cannot ignore a decision of a committee you set up yourself and expect people to be happy.’”
Jang, however, called on party leaders and other stakeholders to defend the truth to show their supporters the seriousness of the PDP to wrest power from the APC and end the bad governance.
He added: “We 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.”
“We cannot fold our hands and watch the party drift away from the tenets which have made it the only truly democratic party in Nigeria. 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 the glorious days.”
This article was originally published on Naija News
