In the buildup to a crucial meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of Nigeria’s leading opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a group of northerners has rooted for the leadership of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike, former Rivers State Governor.
The development comes just before PDP’s NEC meeting on Thursday, billed to pitch forces loyal to Wike against those of the party’s former Presidential Candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Without mentioning names, the Arewa PDP Transparency Group said the party should not fall into the hands of those only capable of “self-serving leadership only at times of political interest, non-inclusivity, lack of concern, sustenance and responsibility.”
The group’s position came in a statement by Hon. Haruna Bature, National Chairman of Arewa PDP Transparency Group on Monday.
Bature noted in the statement that having assessed the performances of all the party’s leaders, they endorsed Wike as National Leader of PDP.
It said: “Arewa PDP Transparency Group says no (to) self-serving leadership only at times of political interest, non-inclusivity, lack of concern, sustenance and responsibility in the management of the affairs of the People’s Democratic Party and hereby endorse His Excellency, Chief Barr. Ezebuwon Nyesom Wike, CON, GSSRS, POS Africa and Life Bencher as the National Leader of the People’s Democratic Party.
“Leadership means care, concern and responsibility. It is not self-serving, not periodic and not spontaneous. The PDP as the biggest opposition party in Africa has suffered a lot of Leadership Crises which resulted in its loss of Power at the National Level from 2015 till date.
“These crises are largely self-inflicted due to insensitivity, lack of political vision, lack of care, concern and respect for the Vision of the Founding Fathers of the Party, and for the yearnings and aspirations of the Nigerian Citizenry. Charity, they say, begins at home. A Party whose Leadership cannot take care of its own and showing good leadership definitely cannot take care of Nigeria and offer good Leadership.
“We wish to particularly bring to the attention of the Leadership of the Party that the Fears by some PDP Leaders about His Excellency, Chief Barr. E. N. Wike’s appointment in an APC Government is borne out of jealousy, hate, bitterness, bias and their blindness to the political reality that the failure by the PDP to ensure power rotation to the South led to its loss of power at the centre.
“If such fears are genuine as they claim, why was the PDP still able to win Governorship and other elections in States across the Nation?”
