THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors' Forum (PDP-GF) said Friday that it had started the process of reconciling its 23 members to remove all elements of rancour and mudslinging within the party.
It also said that the reconciliation process would lead to the return of Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi back to the party from suspension.
Amaechi is currently in court to challenge his suspension from the party, but PDP-GF Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio, weekend said: "We are in the process of reconciliation. Peace is gradually returning to the party and among the governors. We are exploring all avenues to bring back everybody to the fold."
The rank and file of the governors broke into two factions after some of the 36 governors disagreed over the re-election of Amaechi as chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and a rival faction, led by Plateau State governor Jonah Jang emerged.
Akpabio, who spoke to journalists after the inaugural meeting of the Prof Jerry Gana-led PDP Convention Planning Committee, noted that the governors of the party were worried that their number had decreased from 29 to 23, saying: "Our intention is to increase the number by the next election.
"Reconciliation among governors is ongoing. If you noticed, almost all the PDP governors were in attendance. Even the recently recalled brother of mine, Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State also attended the meeting," Akpabio said.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who is the Secretary of the committee for the mini-convention now rescheduled for July 20, this year said all sacked national officers would be free to re-contest.
"We are only trying by holding the mini-convention to regularise what INEC (the Independent National Electoral Commission) complained about in the case of the national officers removed."
Ekweremadu, however, maintained that while all the candidates that contested the election would be free to re-contest, nominations would still be open to others to contest.
Gana said 4000 delegates were expected at the convention.
He said: "NEC (National Executive Committee), in its wisdom, essentially adopted the list of delegates from the 2012 convention, because we are actually reconvening to do the business we should have done properly, and where there are variations, we are referring this list of delegates to the states for ratification. They will bring it back as quickly as possible.
"I want to assure you that NEC has essentially adopted the list of delegates for the 2012 convention for this coming convention.
"So, there is not going to be election of any more delegates. The offices that are vacant will be opened to all interested members of the party and we have already written to INEC to inform them that the NEC of our party has resolved to reconvene the convention on July 20 for the national convention."
"The only zonal congress that has been affected is the one for the Southwest, which we have now scheduled for July 11."
