No merger talks with Tinubu, Atiku, Kwankwanso others – PDP

There has been no alliance or party formation talk between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman Walid Jibrin, said yesterday.

According to him, reports suggesting alliance talks by the Ahmed Makarfi-camp of the PDP with Tinubu and some prominent chieftains of the APC emanated from the imagination of mischief makers.

The disputed report also mentioned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and Senator Aliyu Wamakko as part of the alleged talks.

But the PDP BoT chair said the party had never contemplated teaming up with Tinubu and other APC chieftains with the purpose of forming another political party.

Jibrin said: “I salute Tinubu’s courage for coming out to speak frankly about his position regarding this unfounded rumour and for setting the record straight.

“In Tinubu’s own reaction denouncing the report, he condemned the PDP and I can’t understand why anybody would think that we are going to form a new party with somebody who has been condemning us.

“The PDP is a golden name, a party formed by respectable and dignified Nigerians dead and alive, like Alex Ekwueme, Jerry Gana, Solomon Lar, Adamu Ciroma, Aminu Wali, Sule Lamido and many others.

“It is therefore ridiculous to think that anyone would abandon a well-organised party like the PDP and join another party. There is nothing wrong with the PDP, except for some characters within the party.”

According to the party chief, impunity and indiscipline among some members triggered the leadership crisis in the party. PDP would overcome the challenges sooner than expected, he said.

The BoT chair stated that issues arising from anarchy, self-centredness, self-aggrandisement and indiscipline that have plagued the PDP were already being resolved.

“We are ready to make corrections by doing away with impunity, indiscipline and pride among some people in our midst,” Jibrin added.

He praised the efforts by the Senator Ike Ekweremadu committee and another committee led by Prof. Jerry Gana in finding a lasting solution to the various conflicts within the PDP.

Senator Jibrin expressed optimism that many of those who left the PDP before the 2015 general elections would rejoin the party before the 2019 general elections.

“We are ready to look into their cases whenever they decide to come back. We can never abandon the PDP for some people who have just joined us simply because they have the capacity to cause trouble,” Jibrin said.