•Says stop blaming PDP and face governance
From Taiwo Amodu, Abuja
National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has admonished President Muhammadu Buhari and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop blaming the erstwhile ruling party for the unsavoury state of the economy.
Addressing a gathering of party faithful while inaugurating four committees ahead of its convention, Sheriff cautioned Buhari and the APC to stop the blame game and face the onerous task of governance.
Sheriff said: “The leadership of PDP shares the pains of Nigerians after 11 months of APC in office. They now have the opportunity to compare APC and PDP. The judge are Nigerians.
“The APC rather than facing Nigeria’s problem are blaming PDP for lack of petroleum after almost one year in office.
“I want to advise them to stop blaming PDP. We are now in opposition, repositioning our party to convince Nigerians that we can do better.”
The PDP national chairman however pleaded with the party members to relate as one family, as he restated his mission to run an inclusive administration.
“I want to beg our party members, this party is for you. In making demands, please, respect the party constitution. No party is run on the pages of newspapers. The office of national chairman is open to all members. Please, feel free to come forward. This party will never be owned by one person, it is for all Nigerians.”
Speaking on behalf of chairmen of all the committees, Rivers State governor and chairman convention planning committee, Nyesom Wike said the committees would ensure a smooth transition by working as one family.
His Akwa Ibom State counterpart and chairman zoning committee, Udom Emmanuel thanked the party leadership for the confidence reposed in his team and promised to work diligently to deliver on the assignment it has been saddled with.
“It is a show of confidence of what we can do; that we aren’t going to be biased. The expectation is so high, we are ready to work for this party and be very transparent.
“This is a critical time for PDP to appraise itself. We are doubly sure that the outcome that would be tabled before all of you will be acceptable,” he said.
Other committees inaugurated were reconciliation and finance with Seriake Dickson and Ibrahim Dankwabbo, governors of Bayelsa and Gombe as chairmen.
Speaking on Monday at a reception for a delegation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), led by its President, Dr. Bernard Aliyu, at the Presidential Villa, President Buhari had accused the PDP of lacking the vision to use judiciously the crude oil earnings for the 16 years it was in control of central government.
