Makarfi, Sheriff Agree to End Leadership Crisis in PDP

Fri, Sep 30, 2016
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BREAKING NEWS, Politics

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Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff, both factional leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, appear ready to end the lingering crisis in the party

| By Anayo Ezugwu | Oct 10, 2016 @ 01:00 GMT |

THE warring factions in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, appear determined to end the leadership crisis rocking the party. Senator Ahmed Makarfi, chairman, national caretaker committee, and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, factional national chairman of the party met on Tuesday, September 27, and resolved to end the lingering crisis in the party.

The meeting was organised to agree on the composition of members of a committee from the two factions, who would meet and agree on terms for resolving the crisis. In company with some of his aides, Makarfi was said to have taken the initiative by visiting Sheriff at his office, located at the Maitama District area of Abuja.

The meeting, which was meant to be a secret, was a follow-up to the press conference addressed by the two leaders recently during which they agreed to find a solution to the leadership tussle in the party. Both Makarfi and Sheriff asked members of their factions not to divulge the issues discussed at the Tuesday’s meeting to journalists.

“We have been asked not to speak with any journalists on the outcome of the meeting. Please, don’t quote me,” one of those who attended the meeting, who wishes anonymity, told a Punch correspondent.

It was, however, gathered that the meeting, which lasted for about one hour, agreed to set up the committee that would discuss the terms of agreement between the two groups.

It was learnt that each faction had agreed that names of members of the committee should be made public before the end of the week.

It appears that all the governors of the party wanted the peace move with the exception of the two governors from the South-West and the South-South. It is also feared that Sheriff might impose very hard conditions on the party. The former governor of Borno State had given the reconciliation committee, set up by the party’s board of trustees, conditions which were said to have been difficult to meet before the botched national convention.

At that time, he wanted to be returned and recognised as the national chairman, He also asked that his faction should nominate the chairman and majority of the members of the convention planning committee. But this time around, Sheriff said he was determined to find political solutions to the crisis in the party.

Bernard Mikko, spokesperson for his faction, said the former governor believed that the party would achieve peace now. “Sheriff is inclined to political solutions to resolve the PDP crisis because economic depression can’t be handled by rookies. The All Progressives Congress has not really come to terms with governance and the members are rookies. They need serious apprenticeship to get things right.

“The basic objective of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is to reposition the PDP, remove impunity and give the party back to the people. In this regard, the political system will be strengthened for national development where political parties will form government and not otherwise. No reconciliation or political solution will be sought outside the PDP constitution and the rule of law.”

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