Federal Republic of Nigeria women leaders in the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) urged the organization to end factionalism., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Posted by: Dele Anofi and Faith Yahaya
The Nation, Nigeria
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) women leaders have said the national chairman, Bamanga Tukur’s threat to declare vacant the seats of the breakaway faction at the National Assembly was not conclusive.
Speaking under the aegis of PDP Female Career Politicians yesterday in Abuja, the women leaders said the crisis was capable of ruining it and impacting negatively on the country’s political survival.
They said the attempt to bar President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2015 presidential election was unfair and undemocratic.
The group met with the leadership of the Tukur-led faction. It said it would also meet with the Abubakar Baraje-led faction.
The women said if the crisis must be resolved immediately.
The political career women drawn from across the country include former and serving state and federal legislators, governorship aspirants and others.
Present at the session are: Mercy Almona Isei, Mrs Remi Adiukwu-Bakare, Kemi Adewunmi, Patience Ogodo, Aduke Minna, former Ekiti State Deputy Governor Abiodun Olujimi, Senator Khairat Gwadabe, Senator Grace Bent, Mrs Theodora Giwa-Amu, Mrs Folake Oluloyo-Osinowo and Mrs Amina Khadi.
Others are Mrs Iquo Inyang, Oyibo Ahaneku-Nwaneri, Azumi Bebeji, Lynda Ikpeazu, Ms Doris Uboh-Ogunkoya, Ms Ukachi Amaechi, Elizabeth Ogbaga, Janet Adeyemi, Oluchi Okoye, Mrs Lola Edewor, Mrs Fatima Raji Rasaki, Mrs. Olanrewaju Otiti, Fendo Mohammed and May Inije.
The co-ordinator of the group, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, said Tukur’s remarks on the suspension should not be taken as final.
She said: “When conflicts like this happen, people tend to make inflammatory statements. We have tremendous respect for our Chairman but sometimes people say things when emotions run deep but that does not mean it is conclusive. Not that we are apologising for anybody but we intend to consult with our colleagues as well as our chairman and everybody.
“This is because we do not want anybody to do anything that will be counter-productive to the existence of this Party and peace in Nigeria, we can not afford that.
“We are all still part of the party, including those that walked out from the arena. If they wanted would have said they are leaving the PDP, but they have not said that, which means that the corporate existence of the party is still intact; we just have to make effort at sustaining it.”
She however advised that the feuding parties have to make sacrifices in the interest of the Party by disabusing insinuations of ethnic coloration to the crisis.
Ita-Giwa said: “Not that we are saying it is ethnic-based, but if you look at those that walked out, it was six states from the North and one from the South. This is strange, which was why we felt it is taking on ethnic coloration.
“Also, women were excluded from that decision, no woman was consulted before that decision was taken. Notwithstanding, we are not passing judgement but we don’t want to run a northern party and a southern party.
“All we want is for everybody to come back together for us to have peace in this country. We are not taking sides and we are surely going to talk to all of them to douse the flame as best as we can, however we do not want to be seen as succumbing to intimidation.
“However, it is our opinion that it is immodest for someone to ask another human being not to contest elections or to attempt disenfranchisement another human being. If anything, why not let anyone interested contest and then lose,” she added.
Though Ita-Giwa said the women leaders were resolute in their support for Jonathan, she pleaded with the new faction to realise that the interest of the party should be paramount.
She said: “It is pertinent though that while we lay claims to neutrality in this intra-party dispute, our loyalty to and confidence in the persons and office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria remains unshaken.
“As a large party, we recognise that political dissension is inevitable from time to time, however such disagreement should never be allowed to fester to the point where positions are taken that threaten the existence of the party.
“We believe that the PDP is big enough to accommodate all shades of opinion without bursting at the seams.
“It is against this backdrop that we appeal to the contending forces currently pulling the party apart, to sheath their swords, step back from the precepts and take a deep breath as they reflect on the disastrous implications of their actions.”
No comments:
Post a Comment