The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has said he is open to “harmonious resolution” with Peoples Democratic Party leaders, including his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike.
This is coming following days of verbal war between both governors. While Wike said he was not in the same class as his Edo counterpart when it comes to party politics, Obaseki warned Wike not to cause disruption in PDP, adding that the party is not (Wike) personal property.
In his effort to quell the feud, the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, urged members of the party not to attack one another, but to unite ahead of the 2023 general election.
The national chairman also advised members not to lose focus of where the party was coming from.
“I call on every member of this party to forget their differences. If there are differences, we must settle them in-house.
“No party member should attack another party member. If there are any issues, we have different organs of the party to resolve different issues,” Ayu said this in his remarks at the National Executive Committee meeting of the party in Abuja on Wednesday.
In an apparent alignment with Ayu’s counsel, Obaseki, through a statement by his spokesman, Crusoe Osagie, on Thursday, faulted those he described as mischief-makers trying to disrupt the ongoing peace process initiated by the party leadership.
In the statement titled, ‘Obaseki disclaims social media statements by mischief makers’, the governor noted that some unnamed persons are trying to exploit the “ongoing conversation between PDP leaders” to “stir crisis and cause disaffection.”
He said, “There has been a flurry of statements and comments on social media by mischief makers who are hiding under the pretext of the ongoing conversation between leaders within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stir crisis and cause disaffection.
“These statements and irresponsible behaviour are outrightly condemned. We hereby distance ourselves from the actions of these detractors.
“The National leadership of the party is already dealing with the issues and we are open to the harmonious resolution of whatever concerns that may arise.”