The leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Concerned Stakeholders, Prof. Jerry Gana, yesterday stormed Ebonyi State to solicit support of the Governor of the state, Chief David Umahi, on thier demand that the factional chairman of the Party, Ali Modu Sheriff, should give way for absolute peace to reign in the party.
Gana, who is the Board of Trustees (BOT) member of PDP, made this known while briefing journalists in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State, shortly after Project inspection with the governor which lasted about six hours to mark the 20th anniversary of the state, tasked all aggrieved members of the party to embrace peace to enable them reclaim power in 2019.
The former Minister of Information during Ernest Shonekan’s administration noted that a lot of things have gone wrong in the country, and that PDP when united, will bring greater development and change the negative ‘change’ that are affecting the well-being of the masses in the country.
He said: “Other concerned members of PDP and I are working very hard to ensure that there is peace in the party. Part of the reasons I am here in Ebonyi State is for us to speak to one another because I am one of those leading the Abuja group. We are not leading that group to divide the party, and that is not the point.
“We did not only join the party, but we formed it, and we cannot destroy the party we formed. I am very, very confident that it will soon be over. I like to place on record the role of Umahi together with other governors, who are working very hard to ensure this.”
Gana informed that the PDP caucus in the National Assembly and the governors from the party had met in Abuja, and agreed that PDP must continue to exist.
He pleaded with Senator Ali Modu Sherrif to give PDP some peace, “for us to re-organise ourselves to move forward,” adding that congresses would be held within the next 90 days in areas where they were not properly done.
Gana disclosed that the “Abuja group” was only protesting certain fundamentals which were going wrong” and not interested in dividing the party.
He said that the group was only avoiding the mistakes of 2015, and maintained that it was identifying with the Port Harcourt resolutions.
According to him, a National Convention that would give the party a new elected leadership would then be held.
The former Minister of Information applauded Governor David Umahi for delivering good governance to the people of the state.
“I feel immensely delighted to see good governance in action in Ebonyi State. To me, there is always a great delight to see the combination of good leadership, good governance and development. The three things are linked.”
He further described Umahi “as an excellent example of a good leader, who is giving good governance and producing good development.”
Gana commended the synergy existing between the Executive and the other arms of government in the state.
“I see harmony in governance. The various aspects of government are working together, particularly the Executive and the Legislature,” he added.
He appreciated the governor for selecting very good and competent commissioners, stressing that “they are people who know really what they are doing and are able to keep to target.”
He noted that the projects executed by the governor were people-oriented projects that touch on the lives of people and maintained that “infrastructure is very important for development.”