Gov. Dauda Lawal of Zamfara has described the agitation by some members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the adoption of Sen. Tanimu Turaki as the consensus candidate for the party’s national chairman as normal in politics.
Lawal, who is the Chairman of the Convention Special Duties Sub-Committee, stated this in an interview with newsmen after the sub-committee’s inaugural meeting at the PDP headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PDP Northern Stakeholders had, on Wednesday, endorsed Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties, as their consensus candidate for the party’s Nov. 15 national convention in Ibadan.
Lawal, while stating that consensus was allowed in PDP’s constitution, however advised anyone not comfortable with it to test his popularity at the national convention.
“No matter what we do, some people will still be aggrieved. Even if we bring you, some people will say ‘No’, you have an issue. It is normal. It is part of politics.
“What we are doing is to try and bring everybody together in the interest of this party.
“It is an ongoing process and I can assure that things will be okay. But it is normal to have agitations.
“You can see, we have gone through a lot in the past and now, things are getting better day by day. I am very sure, very optimistic, that we will bounce back. In fact, we are already bouncing back.
“In the constitution of our party, there is a provision for consensus. So there is nothing new. It is okay; it is normal. It is part of our constitution in PDP,” he said.
Lawal, however, urged all the sub-committees to accord the committee the needed cooperation and respect for the success of the convention.
“To the members of special duties committee, the trust reposed in you is immense. You are the architects of our convention’s solvency and the guidance of its operational integrity. I have every confidence that you will rise to this challenge with distinction,” he said.
Speaking earlier during the accreditation sub-committee’s inaugural meeting at the Legacy House in Abuja, Lawal said that the party was working internally to bring everyone on board for a successful convention.
“Well, I don’t think that should be something we should be concerned about, because in politics, it’s about give and take. No matter who is selected, there will always be agitation from the other members.
“So it’s normal, It is something that is internal. And we are working on making sure everybody is on board so that we can have a very, very successful conference,” he said.
Lawal, who also chaired the accreditation sub-committee meeting, acknowledged the current political climate, urging members of the party and stakeholders to embrace unity and genuine reconciliation.
Addressing concerns over the defection of some governors from the party, Lawal said PDP remained unshaken.
“The only thing that is constant and permanent is change.
“In 2015, when PDP had over 29 to 30 governors, what happened at the end of the day? I’m sure you’ll be the judge. So as I said, no shaking, no alarm.
“Our great party is a family, and like any family, we may have disagreements, but the overall interest of this collective family must supersede individual ambitions,” he said.
The governor called on PDP leaders to provide unbiased and selfless service to consensus-building and a truly all-inclusive convention.
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. We must stand together; we must work together; we must heal together,” he stated.
Lawal also tasked members of the accreditation committee to uphold integrity, fairness and transparency as the ‘gatekeepers of the convention’.
He implored them to give the assignment the ‘total dedication and selfless commitment it demands’.
“The work you are about to undertake is the very foundation upon which a credible, transparent and successful convention will be built,” he said.
Lawal described the committee’s mandate as both a honour and a very heavy burden, with clear responsibilities including provision of delegate tags and ensuring the welfare and accreditation of all participants, from dedicated delegates and observers to the Board of Trustees.
“This is not merely an administrative task; it is a sacred trust. You are the gatekeepers of our convention’s integrity,” he said.
On the logistics, the governor assured that arrangements were in place for the transportation and accommodation of all delegates.
“The whole essence of this committee is to work on the logistics. There will be no major issue,” he assured.
