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PDP extends reconciliation to defectors

By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja
09 August 2017   |   4:08 am
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reconciliation committee will extend its peace efforts to all those who held public office since 1999 but defected to other parties.

Senator Ben Obi (left); Delta State Governor, Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa and Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national caretaker committee, Ahmed Makarfi during the inauguration of the party’s convention committee in Abuja… yesterday. PHOTO LUCY LADIDI ELUKPO.

• Inaugurates disciplinary committee
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reconciliation committee will extend its peace efforts to all those who held public office since 1999 but defected to other parties.

The committee has Ibrahim Dankwanbo and Nyelsom Wike as co-chairmen, while Governor Ayo Fayose serves as deputy chairman for South West; and Dave Umahi as deputy chairman for South East.

At the inauguration of strategic committees including the reconciliation committee in Abuja yesterday, Chairman of the PDP national caretaker committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, said: “The committee is to reconcile and bring back to the fold those who held top political offices on PDP platform, be they president, vice president, speaker, deputy speaker, governor or deputy governor since 1999 but are no longer in the party.

“You can even reconcile with those who have never been in the PDP and bring them back to the PDP. You must not close the doors for anybody coming into the PDP. We must create a level playing ground too.”

Also yesterday, the PDP suspended a former factional Anambra State chairman, Ken Emeakayi, for convening a party meeting after the three parallel executives in the state were dissolved.

This emerged as the party inaugurated its disciplinary committee, which has as its chairman, Chief Tom Ikimi with former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Austin Opara, as deputy.

Ikimi said: “We will work closely with the reconciliation committee to ensure our members who left return.

“APC is now dying and is almost dead. I am aware that they were able to win because of our members they wooed.’’

Also, the party named Governor Patrick Okowa of Delta State as chairman of the August 12, 2016 convention planning committee.

The party disclosed that it was forced to suspend Emeakayi following his disparaging remarks against Makarfi and the national secretary of the party, Senator Ben Obi, when queried over his action.

The national publicity secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, who disclosed the suspension of Emeakayi said “the National Caretaker Committee at its meeting today took cognizance of the violation of the provision of Section 58 (1a, b, c, g h, i, j, m) of the PDP Constitution 2012 (as amended) by Chief Ken Emekayi and we took a decision to immediately suspend him for a period of one month, in accordance with Section 57 (3) of the PDP Constitution 2012 (as amended). ‘’

“The case of Chief Ken Emeakayi is referred to National Disciplinary Committee of the party for further disciplinary action.

“We took the decision to sanitize the situation in Anambra State and to send a signal to all party members and trouble makers all over the country the country that those who decide to trouble Israel will not find peace themselves. We will henceforth not condone any act of indiscipline.”

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