PDP crisis: I Have No Hand In PDP Crisis — Jonathan

FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan has denied any involvement in the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 general elections.

This is coming after a former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, claimed on Thursday when he featured on a TV program, that Jonathan had been asked to resolve the crisis.

In a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, the former President denied having anything to do with the ongoing crisis in the party.

Parts of the statement titled, ‘Re: Aggrieved PDP governors loyal to Jonathan’, said: “First, we would like to make the point that it is not out of place if there were crises in a political party like the PDP and a former President, who served under the party’s platform, is called upon to intervene. That being the case, we initially did not see anything wrong with the headlines in some papers, indicating that the former President was being persuaded to help resolve the issues in the party.

“However, we are dismayed that the seemingly purpose-minded headlines were only cast to mask the mischief of the sponsors of the story and hoodwink the unsuspecting populace. Our attention was called to provocative and insulting statements in separate but similar versions of the story in different news media, either claiming that ‘the whole thing we are seeing in the PDP…is orchestrated for President Jonathan’, or that ‘he (Jonathan) is encouraging governors Nyesom Wike, Makinde, Ikpeazu, Ugwuanyi and Ortom to behave the way they are doing’, knowing that ‘these five governors are fighting his cause’.”

Jonathan also dismissed claims that he had a grudge against the party’s flag bearer, Atiku.

Meanwhile, PDP youths from the North Central Zone have called for reconciliation between the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the five governors led by Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

The group, in a statement signed by its leader, Mustapha Sani, expressed displeasure over the relationship between Atiku and the governors, especially during the campaign period.

Sani therefore urged party leaders as well as stakeholders to find a meeting point to resolve all pending issues and work together for the ongoing presidential campaigns.

They commended the founder of the Political and Mobilisation group, ‘The Atiku Solution’, Engineer Abdullahi Isah Jankara over his stand on Atiku’s presidential ambition.

The group said he displayed selflessness and pragmatism in promoting the PDP presidential candidate and his running mate, Atiku Abubakar and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

According to the group, the Niger based politician has deployed resources and time to campaign for Atiku across the North Central states.

“This type of gestures and strategy is what we expect from all party members across Nigeria that want electoral victory,” the group emphasised.

The youths further stressed that individual mobilisation drives for party candidates across the 36 states of the Federation is key to electoral victory.

In a related development, Atiku has expressed willingness to negotiate with the five aggrieved governors to resolve the lingering crisis rocking the party.

“Atiku Abubakar expresses his commitment to a negotiation that will resolve the crisis of confidence and pave the way for a much stronger and united PDP,” a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, said.