BEVERLY HILLS, July 12, (THEWILL) – Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state and his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, have welcomed the Supreme Court verdict on the leadership crisis that rocked the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stressing that Nigeria will now have a viable opposition.
While Fayose described the judgment as “victory for democracy and the entire people of Nigeria who are suffering from the All Progressives Congress (APC) misrule”, Wike said he and the people of his state were very happy over the ruling because Rivers has no other party aside from the PDP.
Fayose, who chairs the PDP Governors’ Forum, stated that “with today’s judgment, PDP can now play its role as opposition party and prepare to take over power in 2019.”
A statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, called on genuine members of the party to come together for the repositioning, repackaging and strengthening of the PDP, adding that there will be no victor and no vanquished
Fayose said; “The ultimate winner is democracy which cannot survive without a virile opposition and the entire people of Nigeria who are already yearning for a return of the PDP, having been short-changed by the APC.”
He hailed the judiciary “for rising to the occasion at a time the ruling APC was almost succeeding in its plot to turn Nigeria to a one party state.”
While congratulating all members and supporters of the PDP for standing firm with the party, the Ekiti Governor promised that all leaders of the party will join hands to channel of new and enduring course for the party and prepare it for the eventual take-over of power in 2019.
On his part, Wike, who spoke shortly after the Supreme Court verdict in Abuja on Wednesday, assured that the PDP would emerge from the crisis stronger because all stakeholders would work hard to rebuild the party.
According to him, “This judgment shows that there will be opposition in Nigeria.
“I am very happy. Rivers people are very happy because we have no other party aside from the PDP.”
Wike enjoined Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and his supporters to keep their word and work with other stakeholders in the interest of the party.
He disclosed that the former PDP chairman called him last week to assure him that he would respect whatever decision reached by the Supreme Court.
“I urge them to keep their word. All of us will work together to reposition the party. The party will go back to the drawing board to move ahead.
“I don’t see any reason why Sheriff will not be a part of the party. He spoke to me last week that whatever the situation, he would remain in the party,” Wike stressed.
The governor pointed out that at the end of the day, it would be expected that the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, would meet with all stakeholders to plan the timetable for a national convention.
