Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state has embarked on reconciliation talks with the aggrieved governors on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, known as the G5.
As part of the reconciliatory moves, Tambuwa visited his Benue state counterpart, Governor Samuel Ortom.
According to Tambuwal, Ortom helped the party reached out to the G5 made up of five aggrieved PDP governors.
Tambuwal, who is also the Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council, admitted that politicians will always disagree but said the need to seek reconciliation and mend fences, most times, help rebuild the ranks of members for a stronger purpose.
He said, “Internal party wranglings are normal and what we have been having is not a war of attrition but disagreement. We, even in our families, have reasons to disagree several times and even come back stronger. So, it’s a work in progress. We are interested in bringing everybody together and working together.
Ortom commended Tambuwal for the move to initiate peace talks, saying the party leadership mismanaged the opportunity to turn the disagreement into a big revolution ahead of the 2023 elections.
He said, “The leadership of this party has failed in taking advantage of the challenges of the party and make it stronger. They have failed to do this. Rather, it is arrogance, it is nonchalance attitude. Nobody has cared to reach out to us even when we voiced out that things weren’t going well.”
“For me, I commend him (Tambuwal) for taking this step to visit me and we have discussed my opinion on how I think this matter can be resolved and I believe that as a leader and as DG of the campaign, he will do the needful because I am not alone.”
“Talking to me alone will not solve the problem, but reaching out to others will be more meaningful. I also believe he will also try to do the needful to put the party together as it is.” Ortom said.
Recall that Ortom, alongside Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) have demanded the resignation of PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu as a precondition to support the presidential ambition of Atiku Abubakar, while insisting that northerners should not hold both seats.