To fix Nigeria’s problem, let’s fix our party’s problem – Gov. Diri tells PDP

By Tunde Opalana

Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri has charged leaders and members of his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to be preoccupied with how to solve the party’s internal crisis.

He said why it is easier to aspire to fix Nigeria, it would be better to first fix the party and rid it of the many challenges. He added that it is not enough to accuse the ruling All Progressives Congress of plot to destruct the major opposition party.

Gov. Diri spoke at the sideline of the inauguration of the South South zonal caretaker committee, at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.

He said “the inauguration today was seen as a good step in the right direction. However, this is coming on the heels of the fact that a lot of people have accused APC-led federal government of destroying democracy.

“But the main question now becomes if the PDP would serve as a ready and vibrant opposition going forward, we have to look inwards. If you listen to the BOT chairman, we have to, first of all, fix our own problems.

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“It’s very easy for you to point these same fingers at people from outside but what is happening within us? And so, the PDP has to sit back and then fix its own internal issues and challenges, that is only when you can stand up to compete with others.

“For me, I want the PDP to be competitive with other political parties. We are indeed the oldest political party in Nigeria so, we have no reason to be accusing outsiders.

“Let us look inwards and fix our challenges and I’m sure by the time we do that, we will be out there to be very competitive. The political will is with the people, the members of the party and we are all members of the party. So, the moment we all come to that resolution, that we need to fix our party, there can be no one person that is bigger than the party. That’s my take.”

Commending the inauguration of the zonal caretaker committee, the governor
said it is a good development towards restoring the party.

He pledged the readiness of leaders in the south south zone to uplift the party. He said ” in our zone, you will agree with me that that’s the only zone where you have four governors of the PDP and we have all resolved and we are together in this, four of us.

“The deputy governor of Delta is here. I have just received messages from the governors of Akwa Ibom and Rivers. So, it shows that we are together.
And if we are together, what we will do is to also show leadership and work with the zonal committee, so that our zone will be safe again for the PDP. “