By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The National Working Committee (NWC) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said it has activated internal conflict resolution mechanism of the party to ensure amicable resolution of all issues affecting the party.

The party made this known in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan on Wednesday in Abuja.

Ologbondiyan said that the party’s NWC rose from a crucial meeting where it reviewed the state of the party, with a view to creating an atmosphere that would engender stability within the party.

“The NWC assures that it has already activated the internal conflict resolution mechanism of the party to ensure amicable resolution of all issues.

“The NWC assures all members of the party that it is taking urgent steps to ensure decisions that will strengthen our great party for the task ahead.

“This is particularly at this time Nigerians are looking up to the PDP for direction and solutions,” he said.

Ologbondiyan said against the backdrop, the NWC urged all PDP members to remain calm.

He assured members that the PDP remained stable as the NWC was working to bring the party back to power in 2023.

Meanwhile, an elder and chieftain of the PDP, Dr Nnamdi Onochie, has weighed in on the current crisis in the party, pleading with contending forces to bury the hatchet and close ranks, to save the party.

Onochie, a long-standing member of the main opposition PDP said that unity, reconciliation and peaceful co-existence were needed at this point in time to save the party from implosion and destruction.

He argued that it would be a costly mistake for the party’s chieftains to engage in bickering with one another with another general election drawing near.

In a statement entitled: “Crisis in PDP National Working Committee NWC)’’, released in Abuja on Wednesday, the elder statesman called on the NWC and other stakeholders of the party to rise to the challenge and resolve their differences in the interest of the party and the nation.

He pleaded with party members to remain calm, asking Nigerians to rally round the PDP at its trying moment “to guarantee the redemption of Nigeria.

“I have been made aware of the ongoing division in our party at the national headquarters of our party in Abuja.

“It’s normal in a family for things like this to happen. However, I believe that sooner than later, the matter will be resolved amicably.

“I want to use this opportunity to call on Nigerians to rally round the PDP at this trying moment.’’

According to him, virile opposition is the only foundation and structure on which a thriving democracy can survive.

“In the current situation of economic hardships, insecurity and other crisis in Nigeria, there is no room for trial and error of new political structures.

“Therefore, all patriotic Nigerians must encourage speedy resolution and reconciliation in the PDP to enable the party to focus on how to redeem the country from the throes of its current problems.

The PDP was the party in power in Nigeria from 1999 to 2015 when the now ruling All Progressives Congress defeated the party and took over powe