By JIMITOTA ONOYUME

PORT HARCOURT — Following the internal conflict within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State over which ethnic group should produce the party’s candidate at the next gubernatorial election, the elders of the party have cautioned members to shun ethnic sentiments and work to effectively consolidate the party in the state.

In a statement, yesterday by Chiefs Ferdinand Alabraba and Maxwell Amadi, under the aegis of Elders Forum, the party elders expressed worries over the way some members of the party were going about using ethnicity to cause disharmony  in  the party.

Reaffirming the support of the party for President Goodluck Jonathan, the party elders appealed to members to be careful of some members drumming up ethnic sentiment within the party, noting that they could be agents of opposition political parties in the state.

“These are agents of destruction, who are out to spoil the cohesion within the party.  Such persons must be quickly identified and avoided.

“Any group that wishes to aspire to the governorship position of Rivers State can only do so successfully within a strong and virile party in the state. All are, therefore, enjoined to focus more on maximum mobilisation, consolidation and growth of the party in Rivers State. It is only then that PDP can win the state and contribute maximum support to President Jonathan in 2015,” the elders said.