Why I stepped down as PDP BoT chair ― Jibrin

A former Board of Trustees Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Walid Jibrin, has opened up over his resignation from the position.

Jibrin, a former senator, announced his resignation at the PDP BoT meeting in Abuja in early September.

His resignation came amid pressure and calls for the reshuffling of the party’s leadership structure to balance the lopsidedness which favoured the north.

Meanwhile, both the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and its national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu are from the north.

There was pressure, particularly from the southern stakeholders that Ayu must resign his position in other to balance the equation.

However, instead of Ayu, Jibrin surprised stakeholders by announcing his resignation.

His exit, however, did not douse tension and assuage southern elements within the fold, who insisted that only the resignation of the national chairman would balance the equation.

Jibrin told party supporters during the inauguration of its campaign council for Nasarawa State that he opted to step down in the interest of peace and harmony in the party.

“I stepped down from my position as BoT chairman to allow peace to reign in the party and pave way for other party stakeholders who had never occupied my former position do so,” he explained.

He denounced what he referred to as “politics of ethnicity, regionalism and religion”, adding that the country can hardly develop if such tendencies are not jettisoned.

He said the main opposition party would resolve the discontent between the camp of its presidential candidate and that of the  Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike soon, ahead of the 2023 campaigns.

He expressed optimism that the PDP would retake the presidency and wins many states during the forthcoming elections while urging members to close ranks.