•Brokers peace between Jang, Useni
Seriki Adinoyi in Jos and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday, lamented the high level of poverty and insecurity in Nigeria under the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, and noted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that was waiting to end the current misrule could not afford to disappoint Nigerians, who were groaning under the government.
He, who said with the current challenges facing the country, Nigerians were tired of the APC, and would not be happy with the PDP if it failed to reclaim power from the ruling party in 2023, also reconciled the immediate past governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang and Senator Jeremiah Useni over a long nursed animosity.
Wike, who was at the State High Court to witness Jang’s trial, said he was in Plateau on a reconciliatory mission among the party leaders in the state particularly, that between Useni group and Jang’s groups.
According to him, “Nigerians are waiting for the PDP, because Nigeria is bleeding. Plateau State is not in exception from the bleeding that is going on in Nigeria. It is not about Muslim or Christian. It is not about the South or the North.
“The hardship, poverty and insecurity are everywhere and the only hope Nigerians have today is on PDP. So, it requires the collective efforts of everyone to know that if we don’t work as a team to reclaim power from the APC, Nigerians won’t be happy and that is the job.”
However, during the reconciliation meeting, which took place at Useni’s residence, Wike explained that his visit was necessitated by friction that had existed between the two leaders, saying if it was not urgently resolved, it would affect the success of the party in future.
“I do know that there will be by-election at the federal constituency and state constituency, and then again, we are talking about the gubernatorial and national election next year. If the party is not united, no matter how bad APC is, there is no way we can win.
“And so, for me personal sacrifices can be made if you’ve fought wars for this country for the unity of Nigeria and today, Nigeria is bleeding, not only Nigeria is bleeding, Plateau too is bleeding. I have no apology to say the people of Plateau State are waiting for you both to put the party together and then you will just take back Plateau State. Plateau state is a natural PDP state.
“There are disagreements everywhere. There are disagreements in the party, both at the state and national level. So, it is not a question of I am right. It is not a question of Jang is right, you are wrong or you are right, Jang is wrong. It is a question of, for whatever it takes, can we please, in the name of God, leave our personal interests and make our party move forward.”
He, therefore, implored both Jang and Useni to make personal sacrifices to move the party forward, not only in Plateau State, but in Nigeria at large.
Speaking, Jang, thanked Wike for visiting Jos to broker peace between him and Useni and disclosed that because of Wike’s intervention, he and Useni had agreed to work together in the interest of the party.
His words: “We have agreed to work together to ensure the unity of PDP on the Plateau and ensure victory in 2023 election, not only governorship, all other elections, federal or state. We want PDP to take its rightful position again on the Plateau and this is what we are going to work on. We want to thank His Excellency for coming to talk to us and we have agreed that we will continue from here.”
On his part, Useni also commended Wike for finding time to come to Jos on a reconciliatory visit, and assured the governor that both of them would henceforth forge a common alliance in the interest of the party.
