The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, has urged past governors to reconcile and bring back their colleagues who defected to other parties.

Mr Ayu stated this at a meeting of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) with past governors and some zonal leaders of the party in Abuja on Tuesday.

“The first task I will give you (the former governors) immediately, is to reach out to other of your colleagues, who have benefited from this party, enormously and abandoned the party.

“Where they are, we know they are not happy. Some of them are grumbling in silence. Kindly reach out to them and bring them back home.

“We still regard them as our prodigal children. When they come, we will receive them, and they will continue to help to build the party.

“You who interact with them in the governors’ forum and others are the best people who can reach out to your colleagues to bring them back home,” he said.

Mr Ayu described PDP as the only party truly owned by the people, that would not fall apart.

“The only party that will not fall apart, no matter who leaves the party is the PDP, because it’s genuinely founded on the people and nobody owns it.

“We all own it. We belong to it. We’ll continue to build it until we get back to power,” he said.

Speaking earlier, the former governor of Jigawa and leader of the delegation of former governors, Sule Lamido, harped on the need for the party to be properly organised.

He advised the leaders and members of the main opposition party to strive hard towards winning the 2023 elections.

“If we don’t get things right in 2023, Nigeria will be in problem,” he said.

Mr Lamido said since Mr Ayu’s election, PDP is being looked upon to lead Nigeria in 2023.

“A developed party is the only way in which government is formed.

“A party that is not properly organised (or) directed cannot form a good government.

“A good party platform, organised, committed to Nigeria, will produce a very good government.

“A party which is in disarray, unorganised, will spell doom for Nigeria,” he said.

Mr Lamido said the meeting was to express the support of the former governors and state party leaders to Mr Ayu’s leadership.

“We are here to formally show solidarity with your leadership and give the message to Nigerians that PDP is a single family under your leadership and that PDP is the only hope for Nigeria in 2023.

“We are here to support you and the party, also, to minimise acrimonious discussion in terms of power allocation.

“We need the party first before the power. If the party is not properly organised, power will elude us,” he said.

Former governors in attendance were Mr Lamido, Babangida Aliyu of Niger, Ibrahim Idris of Kogi, Emeka Ihedioha of Imo, Liyel Imoke of Cross River and Peter Obi of Anambra states.