Immediate past National Organizing Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okey Nnaedozie has congratulated the leadership of the party under Senator Ahmed Makarfi on the Wednesday’s Supreme Court verdict, urging all members to put the past behind, forgive one another and unite as one big family.

Nnaedozie in a statement on Friday described the leadership tussle as unfortunate and regretted that it resulted in many avoidable pain and losses to the party.

Ahmed Makarfi

He lamented that the tussle saw many loyal members of the party “wittingly or unwittingly on different sides of the divide depending on different interpretation of the Party’s constitution”, and expressed happiness that the ruling of the apex court has settled all the issues.

Nnaedozie said as a loyal member of the party, he regretted that the tussle tore the party apart resulting in many mistakes and unguarded utterances even from genuine members but added that very serious lessons have also been learnt.

The statement reads: “While it lasted, the disagreement saw many committed members of our great party wittingly or unwittingly on different sides of the divide based on principle and different interpretation of our Party’s constitution. But in all, the verdict is victory for all as it has at last brought us all together again as one big family that we have always been.

“It is on this note that I sincerely congratulate the leaders and members of our party, particularly, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, and members of the National Caretaker Committee, Our Governors, members of the National Assembly, and of course all Nigerians for this important judgment. Indeed, the ruling is a clear pointer to the future of not only our party but also the entire nation.

“No doubt, during and immediately after the 2015 general elections, and particularly during the period of this unfortunate divisive leadership tussle, mistakes were made; unguarded statements were made, our party had to bear avoidable pain and loses, but in all, very serious lessons have also been learnt.

“As a loyal member of our great party, the PDP remains my home as we once more rededicate ourselves and place the overriding interest of our party over and above every personal ambition or interest”, he said.

Nnaedozie, urged the leaders and members of the party to “put the past behind forgive and embrace one another and together forge ahead in the onerous charge to reposition our party for the task ahead” while commending leaders who had already made comments in that regard.