PDP Embarks on Zonal Reconciliatory Tours

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metu

Chuks Okocha 
in Abuja


In an apparent reaction to the challenge of the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by opposition political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday announced the commencement of the six zonal reconciliatory tours to assuage frayed nerves.

Based on this, the party explained that no one was barred from re-joining the party, provided such a person or persons meet the constitutional provision for doing so.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metu, said the six zonal reconciliatory tours would commence Friday from Ibadan at the South-west to the South-east on March 16 in Enugu State and later to the South-south in Port Harcourt on March 17.

He said the second leg of the zonal reconciliatory tours for the northern states will commence on March 18 from the North-central zone in Makurdi in Benue State, thereafter, the party’s reconciliatory tours will move to Bauchi State on March 20 and to Kaduna State, for the North-west on March 23.

Metu said the grand finale of the tours would take place in Abuja, on March 24 at the International Conference Centre.

He said those expected to attend the reconciliatory rallies in the various states include all governors, members of the National Assembly, former governors, stakeholders, stating that the major objective of the tours is to reconcile all aggrieved members of the party.

Metu, who denied that the six zonal tours were the beginning of campaigns by the party, however, said:  “These tours are in line with the national chairman Three Rs of Reconciliation without confrontation, Rebuilding and Rebirth”.

On allegations that the party had barred some members like the former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, and the ‘snakes and reptiles’ from Plateau State, Metu said no one was barred from re-joining or re-entering the party, provided such persons meets the constitutional provision as stated in the party’s constitution.

Speaking on the absence of PDP governors during the last meeting of the PDP Governors Forum in Abuja, Metu said: “You don’t use attendance to judge commitment”, stressing that at the time of the meeting, some governors of the party were outside the country on various official assignments.

Meanwhile, the PDP has described as grossly unfair for anybody to accuse the party for the inadequacies, negligence and shortcomings of the opposition political parties before announcing the formation of the APC.

The party stated that it was unfair for opposition political parties to blame the PDP for their woes over the yet to be registered APC.

According to him, “it is unfair and unjust for the opposition parties to accuse the failures, inadequacies and shortcoming of our opponents on the PDP.

“As far as the PDP is concerned, we are unconcerned about what they do and their affairs. We as a political parties have our own challenges and we are busy tackling like in the conduct of these reconciliatory tours expected to commence by Friday.

“If you want to register a company, the first thing to do is to do a search. The truth of the matter is the opposition parties simply embarked on a media jamboree. The PDP is not interested in the process of stopping the APC. Whatever the opposition comes up with, the PDP is ready and able,” Metu said.