Efforts by some stakeholders to settle the crisis that has been ravaging the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since the conduct of the Presidential primaries has hit the rock.
Party chieftains and even National Working Committee (NWC) members loyal to the former Vice president Atiku Abubakar and ex Rivers state Governor Nyesom Wike are now battling for the soul of the party.
A chieftain of the party reliably told Daily Trust that attempts by the Acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum, to institute a reconciliation meeting have been rebuffed by party chieftains loyal to Atiku who have vowed to work for the expulsion of Wike and his loyalists.
The source said many party members are blaming former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and his allies for the defeat at the polls as he failed to reconcile with Wike’s led G5 before the election.
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He said: “The belied among many PDP members is that if Atiku had listened to wise counsel by some party leaders, he would have prevailed on Ayu to resign before the election and probably the party would have defeated the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The former Vice President should rein in his allies and join the acting Chairman to work for reconciliation towards putting the party on a good footing before the next elections in November.
“I am surprised that the same people that told anyone that wants to listen that they can win the election without the G5 Governors have turned around to blame them for the loss.
“The earlier everyone understood that the party needs all its members and leaders to function effectively and also win election, the better for us all.”
An NWC member also told Daily Trust that speculations that the Acting National Chairman, Damagum has been embezzling party funds was not true as he met an empty treasury.
According to him, after Ayu was suspended, following the loss of the election and some renovation at the party headquarters, the treasury was almost empty.
“So what funds are they talking about? if anybody has any information about the party money, they should come out with it, the NWC will be ready to answer them. All these is part of the Atiku’s people who have been misadvising and leading him astray.”
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