The decision was reached on Monday in Abuja at a meeting of the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party and the Select Committee consisting of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Ayim Pius Ayim and Governors Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Shehu Shema (Katsina), Theodore Orji (Abia), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi) and Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta).
The meeting also resolved that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, which has failed to hold for nearly a year, be convened on Thursday this week to discuss the state of the party.
However, it was silent on the fate of Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who was earlier suspended for alleged anti-party activities as it believes that the matter was before a court of law.
The party had on June 5, 2013, announced the decision to suspend the Sokoto governor over his “repeated breaches and disregard to the party’s Constitution” but Wamakko had promptly shot back, accusing the National Chairman of the party of incompetence and dictatorial tendencies.
Briefing newsmen after the Monday meeting, Akpabio who is also Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, said the Select Committee met with the NWC to appeal to them to rescind the suspension as they, as governors, would undertake to ensure that their members remain of good behaviour.
According to him, “I want to say that we made a very strong appeal to the Working Committee on behalf of our colleague, the governor of Sokoto State, Governor Wamakko and our appeal was very simple, that the Working Committee should reconsider suspending the governor.
“And we say, as guarantors, that we will be of good conduct and we will do everything possible to continue to show respect to our party and to ensure that cordiality is maintained between the Working Committee and the PDP governors.”
He said that the Select Committee decided to appeal to the party because it was not comfortable with what it saw as misleading media reports on the issue which he observed were not a true reflection of the relationship existing between the governors and the leadership of the party.
Akpabio added: “We took this decision based on the numerous media reports, some of which are misleading and which are really not a true reflection of the relationship existing between the PDP governors and the Working Committee of our great party.
“We are mindful of the fact that we are governors today because the PDP gave us the opportunity to fly its flag and therefore, we will not do anything to undermine the party.
Our appeal very simply to the Working Committee is that it still remains the Working Committee and should reconsider the suspension of our colleague.
“Just like it is said in both the Quran and the Bible that when your child offends you, you chastise the child, you call him back.
“Yes, indeed, there is a clear indication that the party does not like indiscipline but we appeal that the decision should be rescinded and we will undertake to ensure that our colleague, the governor of Sokoto will come with us to meet with the Working Committee and then of course, whatever issues were in contention will be definitely resolved. That is our appeal and that was our mission,” he stated.
Akpabio also said that the NWC has agreed to convene the NEC meeting as had been requested by most of the governors elected under the party’s umbrella.
He said: “the other aspect of what the Working Committee has also acceded to is that the request by the PDP governors and in fact most members of the PDP across the nation, that there is the need for us to have a National Executive Committee meeting of the party.
“We haven’t had it for quite sometime, so that we can look at the status of our party and discuss issues, so that we can sit down and banter as a strong party that Nigerians have confidence in, then discuss issues that can enable us get stronger for the benefit of all Nigerians.”
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Tukur stated that though the national leadership has acceded to the requests of the committee, it would not condone indiscipline in the party.
Tukur declared: “We agree with that appeal but we warn, we warn that we are not going to sit down and allow our party, our great party to really have indiscipline because it is not something we will like to have.
“Hopefully, none of these issues will ever come again. It is a great party. We believe our nation needs a party that has a platform to stand on but based on unity, discipline and commitment.”
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