Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has urged members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to take cognisance of the importance of unity.
Mohammed made the call at a one-day PDP retreat for elected officials of the party on Saturday in Bauchi.
According to Mohammed, the strength of the party lies in the ability of the members to remain united in the face of adversities.
“Despite the challenges we face as an opposition party, we must remain resilient and united in our pursuit of the interest of our constituencies.
“We must also exchange this unity to both people we agree with and the people we differ with.
“Conflicts with the governors and within our ranks, serve only to divide us and undermine our shared objectives.
“Our governors are partners in progress, and it is by working with them not against them that we can effect the desired change,” he said.
Mohammed said the retreat was to strategise on how the members could drive the party and the nation toward a prosperous future and development.
The retreat, he said, would allow them to engage in open discussion about the current position of the party, its strength and areas that required improvement.
Also speaking, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said that PDP’s members-elect were not the majority in the National Assembly based on the results of the 2023 election announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Atiku, who is also the Presidential Candidate of the party, tasked them to work as an effective and constructive opposition while also preparing for the possible role of the majority party when the cases were resolved at the courts.
“Don’t ever lose hope, the role of the opposition is holding the government in majority to account and in doing so, you demonstrate that you and your party are ready to govern at the shortest possible time,” he said.
Similarly, Toby Okechukwu (PDP – Aninri, Awgu, and Oji River Federal Constituency), who spoke on behalf of PDP Reps caucus, said that members in the opposition must be united and work in consent with the party.
He said, “if you manifest an incident of disunity, we will do so at our own peril and if we are united, no matter the circumstances, no matter the challenges, we will eventually manifest good opposition.”
On his part, Senator Philip Aduda, who spoke on behalf of the PDP Senate caucus, urged PDP governors to interface with their NASS members, to work in synergy with each other and see each other as partners in progress.
“It is only when we work together and the National Assembly members also work together with their governors that they can escalate it to the national level,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the dignitaries at the meeting include the Acting National Chairman of the party, Amb. Umar Damagum, Senators Dino Melaye, Ahmed Makarfi, Adolphus Wabara, Aminu Tambuwal, Abdul Ningi, among others.
Also present were all the 13 PDP governors aside Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo, who was represented by his Deputy, Philip Shuaibu.
