Key leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Wednesday, reflected on the troubling state of the party.
They came to the conclusion, that the leadership crises rocking the PDP, are mainly self-inflicted.
Rueing the instability and the gale of defections from the PDP, Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum; the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed; and former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki acknowledged the perilous state of the PDP.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ on Wednesday in Abuja, the party leaders said the challenges facing the PDP are indeed daunting and critical.
They however, submitted that the challenges are not insurmountable, if stakeholders could put the interest of the party above their personal interests.
Damagum said, “We must also confront the hard truth. Much of the injury the PDP has suffered had been self-inflicted.
“From the Obasanjo era to this moment, we have too often jettisoned ideology in favour of personal ambition. This has cost us dearly.
“Yet, there is still a beauty that exists only in the PDP; our founding vision, our commitment to internal democracy, our enduring mechanisms for dialogue and reconciliation, and our true national outlook.
“These are not ordinary attributes. They are the very pillars that made, and have sustained the PDP as the bedrock of Nigeria’s democratic journey. They remain our guiding strength today.”
On his part, Saraki said some of the challenges were built up over the years. He however, said abandoning the party because of the challenges should not be the solution.
Saraki said, “Yes, mistakes have been made in the past, but the question still remains — should we abandon this party?
“I stand here as someone who has experienced being in this party and not being in this party. I stand here as somebody who left this party with anger.
“Anger does not solve problems in leadership. A lot of people are leaving the party now, and leaving with anger. We must not leave – if we have to leave, it should be on ideology, on plans, on a vision for Nigeria, not on anger.
“Yes, we have problems. But the other parties that we are talking about also have problems.
“The other parties, especially the ruling party today, has already spent almost 12 years in government. Is their record any better than PDP’s? Of course not. So what are they offering Nigerians?”
Also admitting that the challenges are self-inflicted, Governor Mohammed said all hands must be on deck.
Insisting that they should be no room for distractions, the Bauchi governor urged stakeholders to eschew bitterness and avoid trading blames.
“We don’t have to join issues and engage in unnecessary squabbles or abuses. But certainly, we want to be visionary, to be straightforward and focused.
“We beg our members to be patient with us. We are working together with all the governors that are remaining.
“And we are even giving the benefit of doubt to those who are leaving, that they will realise and come back, because they don’t belong to the other side.
“When they come, it is always a tradition of PDP to accept them. Even other governors from other parties may come back to PDP — if we get it right.
“And every section, every zone will be free to actualise their ambition or aspiration to govern Nigeria, to contribute positively to the growth and development of the country.”
