The PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has described the new Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, as an elder statesman of immense preparation, saying the party currently needs his diplomatic skills.

He implored the new BoT chairman to use his diplomatic experience by reaching all aggrieved party members, with a view to presenting a united front against the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2023.

Ayu, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Communications, Simon Imobo-Tswam, said this on Friday when he led members of the PDP National Working Committee on a condolence visit to Wabara.

The former Senate President emerged as the acting Chairman of the party’s BoT following the resignation of Ambassador Walid Jibrin on Thursday.

Ayu, himself a former Senate President, disclosed to the acting BoT chairman that the leadership of the party had agreed to travel to Port Harcourt early next week to meet with the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for full reconciliation.

Ayu said, “I am calling on you to lead the effort in reaching out to all our aggrieved members.

“You have the full support of myself, the candidate and the whole NWC to reach out to Governor Wike, all the governors and any person who is aggrieved, and appeal to them, plead with them to come back and let’s work together in the PDP family.

“If we do not win next year’s general election, Nigerians will be very disappointed, the hope of Nigeria is on us.

“As the new BoT Chairman with diplomatic experience. We implore you to use your diplomatic skills to reach out to all aggrieved members and I am telling you that it is with our full support including that of the Presidential candidate and Vice-Presidential Candidate who called me 30 minutes before we got here.”

He added: “You have our support. The entire BoT should select and reach out to them. We are appealing that they should come back and let us work together.

“I want to also reveal to you that the NWC under the leadership of the Deputy National Chairman, Amb. Iliya Damagun, will be going to see not only Gov. Wike but every other person who is aggrieved. It is the unanimous decision of the NWC and we think that your leading the fight for peace and full reconciliation in the party will be helpful.

“There is a time for anger and there’s a time for the anger to stop. So help us to reach out to all aggrieved members try and heal the party with your new role as the party Chairman of the BoT.”

Responding, the acting BoT Chairman, Sen. Adolphus Wabara, thanked the national chairman and other members of the NWC, saying he was overwhelmed with the show of goodwill, support and sympathy.

Recall that the Rivers State governor and his supporters had insisted that Ayu must resign as the national chairman of the PDP.

Ayu’s position not to visit Wike by himself may not be unconnected with Wike’s stand that he (Ayu) must go as the chairman of the main opposition party, and that they never asked the Jibrin to resign as the BoT chairman of the party.

Let’s unite – Fayose

Meanwhile, former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has said the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, and those at the corridors of power must do more to unify the party in order to win the 2023 elections.

He said winning the elections was the ultimate, saying it was even better to win together.

Fayose spoke on Friday as a special guest at the inauguration of the Community Secondary School, Obuama in Degeme Local Government Area of Rivers State on Friday.

While noting that Atiku was not against his host and the Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, he, however, said many people close to the throne “were enemies of the throne”.

Fayose describe Wike as the soul of the PDP, saying posterity would reward him.

He noted that those criticising the governor were doing so because they knew his capacity.

He said, “Your Excellency, whatever anybody says about you, posterity will be on your side. It is a matter of time. When I was governor of Ekiti State, I honoured people when they were alive, not when they were dead.

“You have honoured yourself by your handwork. You have shown that it is possible to bring the impossible to bear. Rivers State has been there for long, but today, we can see the difference. An average Rivers man is proud to be from Rivers.

Speaking, Wike thanked the former Ekiti State governor for his love for Rivers State, saying he had always honoured invitation extended to him by the state.

He commended the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Mrs Ipalibo Banigo-Harry, for bringing the state of the community school to his knowledge.

“When I sent people, if you look at the pictures how it was, I said we will do our best to make sure our children don’t only have access to teaching, but get quality get education.

“I am sure by the time you go round to see some of the structures, you will be quite convinced of the quality that we have been able to put in this place. Up till this week, we have been busy trying to see, let people understand what we are doing in the education sector.

“Before, people were saying it is only roads, roads, now since Monday we have been talking about tertiary education. We are now talking about basic education,” the governor said.

Secondus salutes Atiku

In another development, a former national chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus has congratulated Atiku Abubakar and the National Executive Committee of the party for stabilising the former ruling party, which he said was an indication that victory was imminent in 2023.

Secondus said in a statement on Friday that the outcome of the party’s NEC meeting on Thursday showed the party was set and ready for victory.

He also commended the immediate past national chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Jibrin for resigning voluntarily in the interest of peace and harmony and unity in the party.

He congratulated Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State for his appointment as the chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum.

He also congratulated the former Senate Wabara, who was elected the acting Chairman of the BOT.

Sultan visits Wike

Meanwhile, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammed Abubakar, paid a visit to Wike in Port Harcourt on Friday.

The Sultan paid a courtesy call to at his private residence along Ada George in Port Harcourt.

The respected monarch was in the Rivers State capital to declare open the National Conference of the Federation of Muslim Women in Nigeria. (Saturday PUNCH)

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