Pdp Crisis: Sheriff Kicks As Makarfi’s Faction Advises Aspirants To Defect

BEVERLY HILLS, May 16, (THEWILL) -The Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Tuesday advised its supporters to seek other platforms to actualize their political ambitions.

It advised the state chapters to choose any available alternative platform to field candidates in the forthcoming council elections in Lagos and other bye–elections to hold across the states.

Spokesman of the caretaker committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye said this directive became imperative owing to an alleged plot by the Sheriff leadership to frustrate those it described as genuine PDP candidates elections.

The faction accused Sheriff of fielding All Progressives Congress, APC, members as PDP candidates in recent elections across the country to the detriment of the interests of genuine members of the party.

Explaining that while its position is not to choose an alternative political platform for any state where “true“ PDP members are denied of opportunity to context on the party's platform, it stated that leaders of the concerned state chapters are free to take any decision they deem fit.

Adeyeye said there was the need for the party to take precautions to avoid a situation where its candidates would be frustrated by the antics of the Sheriff leadership, as was the case during the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states. 

He added that with the case of the party's leadership crisis still pending before the Supreme Court, the Sheriff leadership has continued to cause distractions and confusion in the state chapters.

”It is also important to state at this point that Senator Sheriff and his cohorts have been creating factional chapters in different states of the federation in order to compromise our chances in the local government elections.

”In the circumstances and with no hope of the Ali Modu Sheriff problem abating before the Supreme Court judgment, we are left with no choice than to consider ways by which our members will not be disenfranchised in these elections.

”However our position is not to choose a platform for any state where true PDP candidates are denied the opportunity to stand for the elections. State chapters are allowed to take any decision they consider appropriate,” Adeyeye stated.

The Makarfi camp was however optimistic of a “positive outcome” of the case pending before the apex court, stressing that in collaboration with the various organs of the party, the case would be seen to its logical conclusion.

“We have a good case and our ground of appeal is solid. We believe ultimately that justice will be served on the leadership issues in our party and we are also confident that the judiciary will continue to remain independent, unbiased and neutral,” the statement added.

But Sheriff’s deputy, Dr Cairo Ojougboh, said the Makarfi group has no authority to issue such directive, insisting that the caretaker committee was not recognised which makes it an illegal body.

“As far as we are concerned, we are one family and whatever problem we have in PDP we should not wash our dirty linen in the public,'' he said.

He said the PDP had conducted successful local government elections in Ebonyi, which was signed by Sheriff, and that it was currently preparing for elections in Cross River and other states.

Ojougboh added that all the party's primaries were open to PDP members.

“PDP is an embodiment of great Nigerians, including our governors, who are performing very well in their various states and our youth organisations all across the states.

“What surprises us is that Makarfi claims he has a strong appeal at the Supreme Court when the Court of Appeal has made it clear that he disobeyed the order of court in Lagos and Abuja.

“Is Makarfi expecting that the law will be re-written for them, to suit their personal interest?

“By their attitude they are still unrepentant. We implore them to have a change of heart and return to the fold so that we can adequately prepare to return to power in 2019,'' he said.

The PDP deputy chairman added that the door of peace was still open to the Makarfi faction, advising, however, that they could go back to Seriake Dickson's reconciliation committee's recommendations.

THEWILL recalls that the report by the Dickson peace panel had recommended Sheriff to conduct a convention, but this was rejected by the Makarfi group.