…Gives terms for Abuja convention
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Senator Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democraticv Party (PDP) has insisted on the sack of National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Chairman of the the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Walid Jibrin.
Besides, the faction rolled out new terms before a nationbal convention can be convened in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
In a move perceived as pacifying Sheriff’s group, the BoT, at the end of its meeting in Abuja on Monday evening, directed Makarfi to set up a new National Convention Planning Committee and hold the next convention in the FCT.
The Sheriff group had among other issues, demanded a shift of the convention from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to Abuja as conditions for reconciliation.
Yesterday, acting deputy national chairman of Sheriff’s faction, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, in a statement in Abuja, said the BoT resolutions fell short of the agreement between the group and a peace committee headed by Baylesa State Governor, Seriake Dickson and former deputy senate president, Ibrahim Mantu.
“The agreement we had was that Sheriff should chair a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting where Makarfi will attend as a member of the BoT. At the meeting, a chairman of convention committee will be agreed upon; a new convention committee (would be) set up, including all other sub-committees. Venue of the convention would be Abuja, where a new leadership of the party will emerge…”
Consequently, Ojougboh called on Makarfi’s family, friends and associates to save multi-party democracy in Nigeria by prevailing on him to resign as chairman of the National Caretaker Committee.
Besides, he also called for the reorganisation of the BoT leadership, noting that the board’s leadership, under Jibrin has plunged PDP into crisis.
“Whereas the National Working Committee (NWC) had agreed terms with the Reconciliation Committee on numerous occasions, the BoT will go public and make misguided and provocative statements. The BoT leadership must immediately be reconstituted to move the Party forward.
“As we move towards reconciliation, PDP should prevent any person or group from hijacking the party. Be rest assured that the PDP will emerge stronger as we note that impunity marred the party’s success in 2015 general elections,” the former lawmaker stated.