APC dismisses Saraki’s reconciliation committee
…He doesn’t possess the influence to help PDP
by Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi state has dismissed former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, as not possessing enough influence to save the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Secretary of the Media and Publicity Committee of the APC’s campaign council, Dr. Tom Ohikere, who made this know Sunday evening in Abuja, during a media briefing, said the former Senate President was never a close friend of the people of the state, to carry upon himself an impossible task.
According to Ohikere, Saraki does not possess what it should take to facilitate the sort of reconciliation that can save the PDP in the state, which could be expected to save it from defeat in next month’s governorship election.
It would be recalled that the PDP’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, had on Friday named Dr Saraki as the chairman of a five-man reconciliation committee, charged with the task of reuniting Jonathan and Idris with the PDP chapters in their respective home states.
Ohikere made this known in a chat with journalists in Abuja on Sunday. He said Saraki was never a close friend of the people of the state, to carry upon himself an impossible task.
But Ohikere, exuding confidence, said “what does Bukola Saraki know of Kogi politics, he never established any warm relationship with our people, even the state chapter of the PDP, not even when he was Senate President. What did the state chapter of the PDP benefit from him?
“Now all of a sudden, they want the PDP in Kogi state to defer to him, party that is desperately struggling to find its bearing amidst a surge of defections and altercations.
“They seem lost. We know their defeat in the 2015 election is still reverberating in their affairs. They are short of notable and strong political personalities that can steer the party. If not, how would they bring a man fast dissipating into political obscurity to come and head their reconciliation, just a month to election proper?
Ohikere added that the PDP in the state is only putting up a front as the members know that their electoral bid is a pipe dream.
“The PDP in Kogi state, as you can see, has no bearing, oscillating between Atiku Abubakar and Bukola Saraki, two politicians that have been humbled by the 2019 elections and are fighting desperately to maintain their self-respect.
“So I don’t think it will bring about any change in the political and electoral balance in Kogi State. Kogi State is APC and will remain so as long as we continue to pursue the general interest of our people. For now we are keeping to and delivering on our mandate, so there is no vacancy in Lugard House,” he said.