Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki has described the 100th National Executive Council meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as successful.
Saraki in a statement issued shortly after the meeting on Monday, June 30, said the gathering was a symbolic one which could have also served as a breaking point for the party.
Stating that the last 48 hours have been quite eventful for the party, the former Senate president said two winners emerged from the day’s activity.
His words, “Today, there was no Victor and no vanquished. The winner today is the PDP. Another winner is Nigeria’s democracy because, without a vibrant opposition, democracy dies.
“Again, millions of our party members and supporters, who are located in all the 774 LGAs across the country also emerged winners,” Saraki said.
He further noted that with one aim in mind, leaders of the opposition party resolved to jettison their differences and rally together to pursue a common goal.
According to Saraki, the party leaders, at the meeting agreed to let go of the past, rebuild trust that might have been broken, and give peace a chance.
“From this point, we need to continue working further for unity, co-operation, and stability towards the next NEC meeting fixed for July 23rd. After that, we will focus on having a hitch-free National Convention.
“As the chairman of the National Reconciliation and Strategy Committee set up by the PDP Governors Forum in May, I want to appreciate all our leaders, particularly, those who have to make huge sacrifice by conceding their earlier stands on some contending issues as a way of achieving peace, unity and stability in the party,” he added.
Saraki further appreciated party leaders who set aside all their differences to work in the interest of the PDP.
“The success of today’s NEC meeting is an indication that we have made some progress. We will continue to strive to strengthen the party and I am sure from now on, all hands will be on deck to achieve this noble purpose. We need to realise one fact: there is still a lot of work to be done. The spirit with which we achieved the peace today should be sustained from now on.
“It is good that we have disappointed the pessimists. I hope that with the outcome of today’s meeting, we have disproved the false propaganda being circulated in some quarters that those of us who chose to remain in PDP are only scheming for the death of the party as opposed to building a strong opposition. If this false narrative were true, the leaders who shifted positions to give peace a chance would have chosen an alternative course of action.
He added that the leaders have shown commitment to make the PDP a stronger opposition capable of emerging victorious in the next general election.
