The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has debunked claims that the duo of the Bayelsa State governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson and the first executive governor of the state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, were sent out of the weekend peace meeting initiated by PDP national secretariat in Otuoke community of the state.
As stated by PDP, the misinformation was the handiwork of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as it fears the outcome of the reconciliation in the party.
The meeting, held last weekend in the country home of the former President Goodluck Jonathan amidst tight security, was attended by the Dr. Haliru Mohammed Bello, Board of Trustees, BoT, secretary, Senator Walid Jibril, former governor of Eboyi State, Senator Sam Egwu, Dr. Cairo Ojuogboh and Senator Stella Omu.
Some aggrieved members of the party, who claimed to have attended the meeting, announced that Dickson, Alamieyeseigha and other party members were barred from attending the meeting due to non-membership of the party.
PDP Peace Committee secretary, Dr. Ojougboh, in a statement circulated yesterday, stated the alleged claim that Bayelsa governor Hon. Dickson and Alamieyeseigha were barred from the meeting was masterminded by the APC and “it was aimed at causing disunity between the leaders and members of the PDP in the state.”
"The committee had earlier met with the governor, the State Executive Council and the immediate past President Jonathan, before the meeting it had with other aggrieved members of the party," Ojougboh stated.
“The APC is not happy with the outcome of the meeting, hence the reason why it went to town with its tales of woes. I, on the instruction of the chairman of the committee, Dr. Bello, the chairman PDP BoT and PDP National Vice Chairman, hereby affirm that, at no time were these two great party men asked out of the meeting.
“The committee met with the governor and state exco on the one hand and former President Jonathan and the aggrieved members on the other hand separately. The committee had a very good outing, which resulted in the recall of suspended and expelled party members. The recalled members were pleased to return to the party.”