By Our Reporter
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned the All Progressive Congress (APC) to refrain from chasing PDP members around, saying that poaching opposition will not help the governing party to revive the floundering economy or resolve the insecurity in the country.
The party boss spoke on Thursday when he led a PDP delegation of the party national leadership to the Abuja residence of former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, who was being courted by the APC.
He said the APC should turn its attention to the business for which it was elected as the country must move forward.
Emerging from the meeting with the former minister, Secondus said: “Gentlemen of the press. leaders of our party, and especially FFK, my brother and friend, we’re happy and glad to be here at this resident. The reception was superb. We entered into a short meeting and it was very successful.
“FFK is a well-known voice in Nigeria. In fact, he is a brand. Of course, some of us, we know his pedigree. He is a replica of the father. He is a man of his words.
“We, on this note, want to advise our brothers on the other side, especially some of these governors and leaders of APC, that they should face the business of governance. Jumping around and looking for critical stakeholders of our party to poach will not resolve the issue of security or economy.
“They are aware that security has broken down economy has broken down. They should face that business with which they are elected. I believe that this country belongs to all of us and we need unity to move it forward.
“Our brother is firm and a man of his word. There is no amount of trick that will make him sway otherwise. He is firm with PDP and we are back to business while we prepare for 2023.
“The most important thing is that the country must be one and the APC government headed by Buhari should resolve the issue of security.“
Speaking on the rumoured plan to leave the PDP, Fani-Kayode affirmed that he remains a member of the main opposition party, noting that whatever may have been his grouse has been addressed.
He stated: “Am delighted and honoured that the National Working Committee (NWC) and other members of the NWC, the Chairman of Former Ministers Forum and all the stakeholders of the party.
“We had a very extensive and fruitful meeting and I want to here and now that, whatever issue there may have been, has been resolved. We are moving forward as one. I never left the PDP, am in PDP and am proud to be here.
“Whatever the case may be, what is happening in the country the best thing for us to do is to build bridges across party lines, across regional, ethnic and religious lines so that we will all be glad to have a country, that we can call our own.
“I’m delighted they have come. This is how it is supposed to be. In any political family, if anybody feels hurt, people are meant to reach out. And this is an example of any quality leadership that the National Chairman of the PDP and his working committee have provided for our party.
“Had it not been for this quality leadership through the last few years and months, our party would have fallen apart.
“They have gone all over the country, reaching out to people, keeping us together saved our party when it was almost taken away from us. They have done a very good job and am very proud of them.”
In his remark, former minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, explained that the party delegation was in Fani-Kayode’s house to discuss as a family, saying that the former Aviation minister will not dump the PDP.
“This evening the leadership has visited one of our leaders to have a family meeting. We have discussed it as a family.
“But let it be known to all and sundry that we are united, we are together. FFK is still in PDP, will continue to be in PDP and will remain in PDP,” Turaki declared.