The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party loyal to FCT minister Nyesom Wike has called on Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde to join hands in rebuilding the opposition party.

Mr Wike made the call during the party’s national convention held at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Sunday. Several prominent members of the party, including former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Governor Sule Lamido, were in attendance. 

Mr Wike called for unity, inclusiveness and renewal.

“Let me make it abundantly clear that the path to the future for our party must be paved with the values of inclusiveness, unity, and renewal. Our brothers and sisters, with whom we journeyed in agreement or disagreement, should all come and join us in rebuilding our party for the common and collective good of all and sundry,” the FCT minister said.

The former Rivers governor added, “Today, we gather joyously as a congregation of victorious men and women whose badge of honour remains the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party. Standing firmly with the umbrella, we overcame a tragic crisis of leadership, so huge that it threatened to destroy our beautiful party; together, we fought against proponents of ethnic and geographic divisions.

“We trounced the naysayers who abandoned the core values upon which the party was built and, in the process, arrested the party from the vice grip of those who abhor internal democracy and shun adherence to the rule of law.”

Mr Wike noted that his faction had fought and returned the party to its rightful owners, the people.

While congratulating members who supported the party during the crisis, the politician berated those who had abandoned it as pretenders and betrayers.

The PDP has been mired in a protracted crisis with two factions (one loyal to Mr Wike and the other to Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde) claiming leadership of the party.

Last week, the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the party approached the Supreme Court to challenge the judgment which nullified its Ibadan convention held last November.