By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom has said that talk with the G5 governors has begun to end the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) ahead of the presidential election next year.
Speaking with newsmen in Uyo on Thursday after a close door meeting with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state in Uyo yesterday, Emmanuel said the leadership of PDP is open to making peace with the G5 governors adding that reconciliation with the aggrieved governors would will see the party coast to victory in the elections.
Describing all the PDP governors as brothers who show mutual respect for each other, the governor noted that apart from participating in the campaign train, all the PDP governors remained in and working for the interest of the party.
“We all came in as a family, whether you like it or not these are brothers even in the parable of the lost sheep in the Bible only one sheep got missing and Jesus Christ left the rest and went after that one, how much more when you have brothers that are up to five.
“You turn around on a campaign platform you don’t see them suddenly you will feel you need them, these are people you started together, I think I still feel empty that we are all not together on a campaign platform but when it comes to governance we are all together and we have mutual respect for each other.
“We listened to each other and we try to look at the way forward and I want to believe it is getting to that point where sacrifices must be made so that there can be peace.
Someone like me I am pursuing peace and I want peace to reign and once we can achieve that our party will coast into victory”, the governor assured.
“Governor Ortom made a statement and I am sure you listened to him. I agree one hundred percent with him we are ready to make peace and I can assure our party that these are governors who have structures, and something to show, these are governors who have capacity.
“We will do everything possible to put the house together on the 2023 campaigns, but when it comes to governance we are still as intact as ever.” He explained.
However, Ortom said the G5 governors remained with the party, but expressed their displeasure over the leadership of the party’s inability to deploy its conflict resolution mechanism to resolve the internal grievances in the party.
He pointed out that dialogue remained key towards resolving the crisis, adding that the aggrieved governors never shurned dialogue and reconciliation as their terms were not met.
“We were not happy with the national leadership of our party as it had not been able to deploy its conflict resolution mechanism internally to solve the problems, the grievance that we have.
“Governor Udom is one of us, he is a governor like the rest of us and in politics, dialogue is key towards resolving conflicts and problems that may arise as a result of conventions or congresses.
“Talking to each other will definitely strengthen the fortunes of the party and politics as you know is a game of interest with no permanent enemy and permanent friend, but permanent interest.
“We have never said we have turned our back on dialogue and reconciliation, if the terms are met, why not, we will work if it fits in our own interest”, he added, insisting that disregarding them despite their respective huge support bases, was not the best solution.” He said .
