From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja and Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Twenty four hours after “key actors” in the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), signed an agreement to cease hostilities, the party’s National Caretaker Committee has said the two camps in the crisis are yet to reach a political solution to the leadership tussle.
In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by its spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the committee said that the agreement was just to halt media hostilities by the two camps.
The agreement mid-wifed by the Chairman of the PDP Reconciliation Committee, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, was signed by representatives of PDP National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and members of the caretaker committee in Abuja on Thursday.
The caretaker committee said the clarification became necessary because of media reports that it had reached a political solution with Sheriff on the PDP crisis.
The statement reads in part: “We wish to state that the agreement signed on Thursday before the Governor Dickson’s Reconciliation Committee was only to stop further media attacks on officers, elders and other stakeholders of the PDP across the internal political divide.
“ For the record, the agreement was not a political solution, but rather an understanding reached urging representatives of “the key actors” from both groups not to dissipate energy amongst themselves, but to focus on how to unite as a formidable force capable of re-gaining power from the failed All Progressive Congress (APC) led government in the 2019.
“The agreement also implore both parties to desist from making public derogatory remarks against each other that could cause inflammatory reactions capable of dragging the party to the mud.
“It is instructive to note that the National Caretaker Committee and all the organs of the party are working hard with the Reconciliation Committee ably led by Governor Dickson with other stakeholders to reach a lasting political solution.
“However, this effort is without prejudice to the Appeal before the Supreme Court of Nigeria against the Court of Appeal Judgment of February 17, 2017.”
…Dickson meets Ciroma, Mark
Bayelsa State governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Peace and Reconciliation Committee, Seriake Dickson, in continuation of his engagement with leaders of the party, yesterday held separate meetings with two of the founding fathers of the party, Mallam Adamu Ciroma and former Senate President, David Mark.
Governor Dickson, while presenting the committee’s roadmap on a peaceful resolution of the crisis in the party, commended Ciroma for finding time to receive his team and his fatherly advice on resolving the impasse.
Dickson also commended the politician for his sacrifice and service to the fatherland and to the party all through the years.
“We must say that we value this meeting and indeed your invaluable contributions to the growth and development of the PDP in particular and the nation, as a whole”, Dickson said.
In his response, Ciroma thanked the governor for the efforts and sacrifices he has made to ensure that peace returned to the PDP, and pointed out that discord was a normal occurrence in political parties worldwide. He assured the panel of his support in the crucial task of reconciling the PDP, noting that a resolution of the crisis was critical for the survival of democracy in the country.
Dickson was accompanied by former Deputy Senate President and Vice Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Bunu and other members of the committee.
In his meeting with Mark, the Bayelsa governor told his host that the visit was part of his engagement with key leaders of the party on the need to engender peace and genuine reconciliation in the PDP.