PDP did not breech its own constitution – Agbo

VICTORY ORIMEMI

Former deputy National secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Emmanuel Agbo has said that the party did not breech its constitution.

The party leader made this known in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday while discussing the lasting PDP internal crisis.

He said the party is not as divided as it is being made to be seen and interest groups sponsored by the party in government a nd all other parties seeking for the same office have tried to use a section of the press in making mountains out of molehill.

“There is certainly a level of dissatisfaction amongst a section of our party but it is definitely not beyond what the internal mechanisms of the party will address. The joint committee have been out together by the two groups and a lot of progress is being made.

“I want to enjoin leaders of the party like myself to resist the temptation of publicly taking sides with any of the groups so that the 14 distinguished Nigerians that have been put together can actually look at the overall picture, the interest of the party, victory for the party, and to come out with whether the National Chairman is to stay or leave.”

Speaking on the PDP constitution that states clearly that the Presidential candidate of the party and the national chairman cannot come from the same region which has been part of the reasons for the uproar of the Wike camp.

Agbo said, “There are no direct provisions in the party’s constitution that says Chairmanship should be on one side and Presidency should be on another side. It is conventional to have Presidency and every other position is assumed to the six geopolitical zones, taking a cue from the national chairman who will now go to the opposite side.

“This is not the first time somebody has to stay from the same zone to prosecute an election and once victory is gotten, he has to resign for people to come in. We had it at the Ahmadu Ali time, I’m not advocating for it in anyway but all I’m trying to say is that what is before Nigerians, what is before our party is we must earn the support of Nigerians in an electoral victory in February, 2023 and once that becomes the uppermost, everything can be discussed and understood.

“My brother who is the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike knows much more than any other person that any attempt to assist any other political party to victory other than his own political party will be counterproductive even to himself as an individual.

“Today, there are two, three Governors that are with him, what are the need for these Governors? What are the need for the followership of these Governors?

“I think it’s all a matter of interest and yes, we must come to an agreement that in forming government, once victory is gotten, we will stand by our words, we will stand by the promises and whatever we have jointly agreed moving forward to the election that all interest groups will be protected.”

Agbo also addressed the issue of PDP breeching it’s constitution as regards zoning within the party saying that the complaints about breech within the party is false and that it was generally agreed across board that going into the 2023 general elections, pronouncing zoning was going to be so detrimental to the chances of the party and it is after elections are won, then all other positions will now take cognisance of the interest of the party.

“We’ve done the first stage, very needful. Once the presidential candidate emerged , certainly we couldn’t have gone to any of the zones of the North to go and pick a running mate, we went down to the South.

“It is in the same vein that other positions of the party will now take cognisance of our diversity for complete inclusivity in the act of governance. The provision of the constitution does not at any point say go and zone to A or B and the party in its wisdom put up a committee to look at all the tendencies that resulted in our loss and to see what we will do that will brighten the chances.”