From: Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State has explained reasons why it visited the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.
The state’s Executive Committee of the PDP, led by Mr. Cleopas Moses, held a meeting with Sen. Ahmed Makarfi and members of the National Working Committee in Abuja, on Tuesday.
According to investigations, the visit aside expressing solidarity with the Makarfi leadership also intimated the national secretariat of happenings in the state to debunk stories by some political elements that the PDP in Bayelsa was in crisis.
The Daily Sun gathered that the state executive members had decided to embark on the solidarity visit to thank Makarfi for refusing to listen to mischief makers pressuring the national secretariat to dissolve the Bayelsa State executive based on allegations of being recruited by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson to do his bidding.
Moses, in an interview, said the meeting which was initiated by the Bayelsa PDP, was fruitful as issues germane to the unity of the party and its prospects to bounce back in 2019 using Bayelsa as the spring board were discussed.
“The meeting was very fruitful. It was fruitful beyond our imagination, we thank Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi for receiving us” he said.
The state publicity secretary, Mr. Mackbere Osom, also in an interview, said the state executive brought the national secretariat to date on efforts being made by the State PDP to re-admit former members that defected to other political parties.
Osom who noted that the state executive seized the opportunity to reiterate its total support to the Makarfi leadership disclosed that PDP Bayelsa was highly commended by the national leadership for giving full support for the PDP which ensured that Governor Dickson defeated the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) which controls government at the centre.
According to Osom, “Yes, we meet with the national chairman of the PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi on a solidarity visit. We used the meeting to reassure the national secretariat of our unflinching support to the national leadership and to reassure the national leadership that Bayelsa state remains intact as some people have been carrying unfounded stories that Bayelsa PDP is in crisis. We also informed the party of the Contact and Mobilization Committee which was set up to re-admit former members that defected to other parties.
“The national chairman who was happy to receive us told us the importance of the Bayelsa PDP in the plan of the party to bounce back in 2019 particularly with the support given to the party during the last governorship election. He told us why he refused to listen to those that wanted the state executive to be dissolved because the members are united in their support for the PDP. He urged the party to continue in the path to bring back into its fold members that have left for other political parties. The meeting was brief but very fruitful,” Osom said.
