The first executive governor of Bayelsa State, Dr. Diepreye Alameiseigha, yesterday, emerged as the leader of the team of elders constituted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reach out to aggrieved governorship aspirants in the state and loyalists of the embattled governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, with a view of reconciling them.
The D.S.P Alameiseigha led elder forum of the party which was inaugurated yesterday at the state secretariat of the party in Yenagoa, was also charged with the responsibility of creating an enabling environment for members of the party within the different divide as well as giving them a sense of belonging. They are also expected to operate beyond the campaign and election periods with supervisory and monitoring roles of checking the excesses of the elected officials of the party and the next administration after the 2012 polls.
Chairman of the Party, Chief James Durgo, during the inauguration said, though the last ward congresses and governorship primary of the party in the state threw up some controversies, ‘‘the elders forum is to discuss these issues and reconcile different actors and make them united to work for the party in the state. I plead that they return and take their place within the party.”
In his acceptance speech, the former governor, Chief Alameiseigha said the idea of setting-up a reconciliation committee within the party is not new because it is provided for in the constitution of the party so the elders will be firm in the implementation of its role and ensure that the members imbibe the tenets of the party and implement the manifestoes too.
Alameiseigha said, the elder’s forum is expected to monitor, advice and support a sitting government if they deviate. ‘‘We have a manifesto to implement and the party elders will give support. Being a child of the party, elders like these are to serve