The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has inaugurated a 17-member caretaker committee to pilot the affairs of the Benue chapter of the party for the next 90 days.

The acting national chairman of the party, Umar Damagum, who inaugurated the committee in Abuja, urged the members to reconcile aggrieved members and various PDP groups in the state.

Mr Damagum also charged the committee to conduct credible congresses to usher in inclusive party executives in the state.

“You have been selected carefully from your various zones to represent all interests in Benue, so that we don’t leave any stakeholder or part of Benue out.

“Your duty is to usher in an all-inclusive executive during this ongoing congress so that everyone will belong,” he said.

The acting national chairman advised the committee members to avoid sentiment and put the party above personal interests.

He urged members of the party in the state to cooperate with the committee to resolve all crises that caused the PDP to lose elections in Benue.

“Use this opportunity, where possible, to reconcile within yourself. This is the only way you will achieve a strong party in that state,” Mr Damagum said.

Earlier, the party national organising secretary, Umar Bature, said that the vacuum created by the expiration of the state executive of the party on August 8 necessitated the composition of the caretaker committee.

He said that the party had already conducted ward congresses in the state before it was stopped by a court injunction last week from conducting local government congresses in six LGs, four in Zone B and two in Zone C.

Mr Bature, however, said a lot of pressure was on him and the party on who becomes a member of the state caretaker committee, saying all stakeholders and interests were taken care of in the committee composition.

He said the chairman is from Plateau and the secretary from Enugu state.

“I advise the committee to do justice to the remaining activities of the party, which is a local government congress scheduled for Saturday, August 17, in the 17 local governments of the state that were not affected by the court order.

“I understand you are working to have a settlement for six local governments to participate between now and Saturday.

“If they don’t, you have to postpone those six local governments until the court order is vacated,” he said.

On his part, the Senate minority leader, Sen. Abba Moro, commended the party’s national working committee for taking prompt action to constitute a caretaker committee for Benue.

He enjoined the caretaker committee members to be fair and provide a level playing field for all contestants in the ongoing process of congress in the state to make the PDP reign in the state.

“We must live up to the creed of the party, “Power to the People.” The people, therefore, must be allowed to select their leaders.

“Honestly, that has always been my cry and advocacy that the people must be allowed to choose their leaders,” he said.

The committee chairman, Sen. Napoleon Balli, urged members of the PDP in the state to cooperate with the committee members to achieve the task assigned to them by the party.

He pledged that the committee would be fair to all stakeholders.

“We are not going to entertain any personal interest against the interests of Almighty God, the PDP, as a party, and the people of Benue State. 

“Be rest assured that we are there to serve your interests. For about 90 days, install a state working committee, and then we’ll go back to our respective houses.

“So, I demand a lot of cooperation from you and my fellow comrade,” Mr Bali said.

The caretaker committee chairman expressed optimism that the committee would reconcile aggrieved persons and the different groups within the party in the state. 

“Conflict management is just a matter of give and take, we shall look at the issues and address the issues,” he said. 

(NAN)