THE Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) will recapture power at the center in 2019 once it is able to reconcile its aggrieved members, recruit news ones and build a vast war chest, the Chairman of its National Caretaker Committee (NCC), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has said.
He has also assured that the party would play a credible opposition role devoid of hate speeches from now till the next election.
Makarfi spoke while receiving members of the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of State Houses of Assembly and the PDP Women’s Forum at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja on Wednesday.
He observed that the party had a lot of work to do in reconciling its members, not just those with whom they had a leadership tussle recently, but also those that have left the party since its formation.
He said: “It’s a work in progress. This is the time to join hands and build the party, to reconcile. Reconciling with members is not limited to those we went to court with us of recent.”
“Since PDP was formed, a number of members have left, some are doing ‘siddon look and not active’. We need to make every effort to reconcile with them so that we revive the party and reinvigorate it.”
“Beyond reconciling with all members of PDP, we need to do membership drive and bring in more members.”
“So, it requires a lot of efforts and sacrifice on our part. It requires accommodation.”
“Accommodation does not mean surrendering a hundred per cent what you have. If somebody cannot be accommodated, you have no reason to say he is reconciling.”
“And if we can’t reconcile and be stronger, we can as well forget about getting back to government.”
“The more the merrier. It’s when you build a big war chest that you can have a good chance of winning any battle.”
Makarfi regretted that the former ruling party had gone through a long and avoidable struggle which he noted was actually a struggle for democracy in the country.
The former Kaduna state governor observed that the recent Supreme Court judgment which reinstated his leadership of the party, has stabilized democracy as it doused the mounting tension in the country.
He said Nigerians have become calmer since the judgment knowing that they now have an alternative political party to government.
Makarfi explained: “We’ve gone through a long avoidable hard struggle. It was not a struggle over PDP leadership. It was a struggle for democracy.”
“It was a landmark judgement that touches on every political party you can think of. It’s a landmark judgment that has stabilized the polity.”
“We know there is hunger, we know that there are difficulties, all kinds of problems in the country. But as soon as this judgment came, it seemed to have brought down tempers.”
“Why tempers have gone down is that people have seen the alternative they have been waiting for.”
The leader of the PDP Women’s Forum, Senator Biodun Olujimi who was represented by former PDP Woman Leader, Hajia Inna Ciroma, observed that the new dawn in the party was not only time for women to be heard but to be seen as participating in the affairs of the party.
Also speaking, the leader of the former presiding officers’ delegating, Rt. Hon. Inuwa Garba, said that they were at the party headquarters to pledge their loyalty and support to the national leadership.
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