The Chairman of the PDP Reconciliation Committee, Raymond Dokpesi, who offered the apology at a news conference in Abuja ahead of the party’s National Conference slated for Thursday, admitted that the party might not have met all the expectations of Nigerians while it was in power and said: “on behalf of PDP, I tender our apologies.”

He disclosed that the Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu’s report on the outcome of the general elections showed that factors that affected the party included abandonment of its laws and internal wrangling.

“We tender unreserved apology to Nigerians for the mistakes and to party members for abandoning the zoning principle of the party.

“We apologise to people whose toes were stepped upon. So far, whatever the PDP has done against anyone, we hereby tender an unreserved apology,” Dokpesi pleaded.

The committee chairman admitted that the party deviated from the dream of its founding fathers, adding that members operated without recourse to the rule of law.

He, however, gave an assurance that the party would do all it could to woo its founding fathers back to its fold.

“We are going to have Adamu Ciroma, Alex Ekwueme and some of the founding fathers who were hitherto alienated from the party at the conference to chart the way forward for the party.

“The party in 2010 and 2011 made the first fundamental mistake for not allowing the North to complete its term, but special recommendation were made to allow former President Goodluck Jonathan to complete it.

“The party came again, because they were not courageous enough to allow zoning and they supported the former president, and the party suffered defeat,” he said.

Dokpesi said that the era of allowing a clique to control the party was over, maintaining that the party would decide its future by allowing the people to own it, irrespective of status.

He said that the committee’s mandate was to restructure the PDP by allowing the youth to take ownership of the party in driving national growth.

He explained that sequel to the 2015 general elections, the party deemed it fit to have a conference that could help correct the error it made in the past in order to aid its return to power.

Dokpesi emphasised that for the party’s national conference to be meaningful, it must have youth representation comprising a male and a female from each local government area across the country.

According to him, youths whose age must not be more than 30 years, with a minimum of a degree or its equivalent, will take ownership of the party.

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Olisa Metuh, National Publicity Secretary of the party, who stated this while briefing newsmen, said that the party has not filed any petition against the group in the courts.

Metuh said that no disciplinary measure was being contemplated against the group by the party’s leadership in the spirit of true reconciliation.

According to him, the party’s leadership has been meeting with the group with a view to looking at their grievances and reconciling them with the party.

Metuh said that the party was being considerate because of the contributions the group had made to the party`s development in the past.

On the petition filed against Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Metuh explained that it was not the party that took him to court.

Earlier, the National Chairman of the party, Bamanga Tukur, inaugurated a National Disciplinary Committee headed by Dr Umaro Dikko.

Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has set up a campaign committee for the Anambra governorship election slated for Nov. 16.

According to the party`s spokesman, the committee is headed by Vice President Namadi Sambo.

Metuh expressed optimism that PDP would win the Anambra governorship election.

He said that the PDP was not in alliance with any party, adding that Tony Nwoye was the party’s governorship candidate for the Nov.16 election.

He said that the party would give necessary assistance, including legal support, to its candidate to ensure victory at the polls.

Metuh disclosed that with effect from Oct. 28; the party would suspend every other issue and make Anambra its major concern.

“NWC is very mindful of the importance of Anambra election at this critical moment. We want to inform our members that on Monday, all issues pertaining to the party will be dropped.

“We will focus on Anambra election and give all necessary assistance to our candidate to ensure that we win Anambra governorship election’’, Metuh said.

Members of Anambra Election Campaign Committee are: PDP National Chairman, Tukur, PDP Board of Trustee Chairman, Tony Anenih, and the Senate President, David Mark.

Others are Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, Alex Ekweme, Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha and Gov. Jonah Jang of Plateau, among others.

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