The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Reconciliation and Strategy Committee (NRSC) has urged the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to adhere to the principles of equity, justice, fairness, good conscience and inclusiveness in the 2023 general elections.
Chairman of the PDP NRSC, immediate past President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki who made the request this Wednesday while submitting the committee’s reports also charged the party leaders to scrutinise the process in the selection of the people who will be sent to go and conduct the 2023 primary elections.
Recall that the National Reconciliation and Strategy Committee (NRSC) was created on November 23rd, 2020 after a resolution approving its Terms of Reference was passed at the 90th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
He explained that NRSC was established against the backdrop of the poor state of the party as demonstrated by the intra-party conflict in many state chapters, disillusionment with the party by many members, the Nigerian populace, and the inability to attract new members, and the loss of key stakeholders.
According to him, the committee was able to work with stakeholders in several state chapters like Borno, Ogun, Ondo, Niger and Plateau to resolve the crisis that had plagued the party for years.
Saraki said, ” In other states like Cross Rivers and Yobe, we have been able to work with stakeholders to rebuild the firm foundation of our party after some members defected.
“And in some states, while we may not have been able to completely resolve the crises, we have been able to get contending factions to engage in dialogue and set them on a sure path to genuine reconciliation, he said.
The former president of the Senate said they discovered that the conduct of primaries to elect candidates for various offices in the 2023 general election to represent the party has been a source of great intra-party conflict and friction in the past, resulting in the PDP being severely weakened and hampering its chances of success in previous elections.
On that basis, the Saraki led committee recommended that “the party leadership should at all times adhere to the principles of equity, justice, fairness, good conscience, and inclusiveness.
” The leadership should always be transparent in taking decisions such that those not favoured by the decision can at least see that they have been given a fair hearing and those whose cases prevail can see that they won on merit, therefore having to be magnanimous in victory.
“We urge you, Mr Chairman, and other members of the NWC to ensure a thorough and extensive scrutiny process in the selection of the people who will be sent to go and conduct the primary elections in the various states as we prepare for the 2023 elections.
” They must be people who will be fair to all and adhere strictly to democratic tenets. Sanctions should be meted out to those of them who by their actions create a crisis in any state”.
In his remarks, PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu assured that the party will go through the reports meticulously and submit to the National Executive Committee (NEC).
Ayu who affirmed that the reports will strengthen the party added that it will be difficult to unite the party if the state chapters are not working together.
“PDP is poised to rescue Nigeria, the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration is doing nothing when bandits in their 20s,30s are raiding communities, Nigerians should not despair, but be hopeful as the PDP is poised to rescue the country, he said.
