By SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN—THE Edo Mass Movement, EMM, a political group within Edo State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has counseled warring leaders of the party at the national level to show respect to late former national chairman of the party, Chief Solomon Lar, by reconciling their differences ahead the 2015 presidential election.

Publicity Secretary of the group, Prince Omo-Osunde Iyasere in a statement, described the demise of the elder statesman as a “big loss to the party and Nigeria,” saying his spirit can only be happy if the warring leaders of the party find solution to the raging crisis rocking the party.

Iyasere said that Chief Lar was instrumental to the formation of PDP in Edo State and other states in the country.

He  said: “Lar, as one of the founding fathers of PDP and pioneer chairman of the party, was one of those that midwifed the merger of Edo Mass Movement and Edo Peoples Congress into what is today known as Edo PDP.

“He was a dependable, fearless and compassionate leader, who lived and died for the people. He was a man of peace whose leadership style was instrumental to the success the party recorded in the formative years and thereafter.

“He was a quintessential statesman, bridge builder, a political strategist and one of the finest with abilities to mobilise people.

“EMM sympathises with the family of the elder-statesman and pray that God almighty will comfort them as they mourn his death.”