Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, has said the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to throw open the contest for its presidential ticket is sacrosanct, as it was done in the overriding interest of the party. Governor Diri explained that although he is a strong proponent of zoning and rotation of the presidency to the South of the country, he accepted the decision in good faith as a loyal party member.
The Bayelsa helmsman spoke on Friday when former vice president and a PDP presidential aspirant, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, visited him at the Government House, Yenagoa.
A press release by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted him, as saying that no individual political ambition should be allowed to disorganise and disorientate the party.
He said: “I am one of the strong proponents of power rotation and zoning and I still believe that power should rotate to the southern part of Nigeria.
“However, our party has taken a decision and there is nobody that is greater than the party. As a party member, I cannot stand above our party. I am carefully choosing my words as an umpire because I am holding a very sensitive position as deputy chairman of one of the electoral committees.”
Governor Diri noted that Bayelsa would always work for the unity of the country and against any attempt to disintegrate it. He stressed that the corporate existence of Nigeria would be the guiding principle in choosing a PDP presidential candidate at the party’s convention this month.
“Bayelsa, at the nick of time, will first of all put Nigeria into consideration. Bayelsa will not be part of those that will support the breakup of Nigeria. Instead, it will as a matter of fact be part of the writing of history in making Nigeria great,” the governor said.
Speaking earlier, Alhaji Abubakar stressed that the PDP must put its best candidate forward in order to wrest power back from the APC. The former vice president called on the party to brace up and be united for the sake of Nigeria, emphasising that the PDP cannot afford to be in opposition again from 2023.
