•Caretaker Committee won’t abandon party for Sheriff  –spokesman

•With Sheriff, PDP can’t win in 2019 –Ihedioha

By Philip Nwosu and Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Caretaker Committee says it is not a party to the purported planned registration of Advanced Peoples Democratic Party (APDP).

The Publicity Secretary of the committee, Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, said in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja that the committee or any of its members as individuals had no hand in such plan.

Adeyeye said the clarification became necessary to clear the air on falsehood that the committee was planning to abandon PDP structure for the Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff led group.

“We state clearly and without ambiguity that the National Caretaker Committee of the PDP is not in any way involved in the plans to register any party by the name, APDP or any other party for that matter.

“It is unthinkable that the National Caretaker Committee, which without any doubt, enjoys the support of all the recognised organs of the party, will contemplate such a move.

“We, however, acknowledge and recognise the rights of party members to seek alternative platform to actualise their political dreams, which is an inalienable right guaranteed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We also wish to state clearly and without ambiguity that the committee is holding leadership power in the party in trust for the millions of party faithful, who instituted the committee at the National Convention,” he said.

Adeyeye said that whatever decision would be taken on the PDP brand shall be taken by members at a properly constituted National Convention.

He added that such decision could not be taken by a few individuals no matter how highly placed.

“For the records, no decision has been taken that the PDP should be abandoned and a new party formed out of the current structure.

“At least, no such proposal is before the caretaker committee as at this moment,” the spokesman said.

He reiterated the party’s belief that the leadership issues before the Supreme Court would be resolved on the side of truth and that Justice would be served in the interest of peace.

Adeyeye urged party faithful to keep calm and allow the reconciliation efforts to move forward, adding that this was necessary without prejudice to the appeal before the Supreme Court.

“We are confident that Justice will be served at the end either through the court or through the reconciliation efforts or a combination of all of them,” he said.

Meanwhile, the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, has called on all members of the party to throw their weight behind the Ahmed Markafi-led faction of the party, describing it as the faction that will lead party to victory in 2019.

According to him, “the overwhelming majority of PDP members in this country know who their leaders are and we are respecter of the court. The Court of Appeal has given judgment, we are appealing that judgment and we are praying and we are hopeful that there will be positive judgment in line with the desires and wishes of the vast majority of PDP people.”

Ihedioha, who spoke at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of Lagos, during the launch of the book, The Millionaire Curriculum, by Aham Njoku, said that the faction of Ali Modu Sheriff was not in PDP to help the party achieve its dream of wresting power from the ruling APC.

Earlier, the former deputy speaker also lent his voice to the call for the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.

He said: “We are in a democracy and I hope Almighty God will grant us the right atmosphere and peace of mind to see wisdom and allow him to have his freedom.”

He commended the Igbo leaders speaking on the release of Nnamdi Kanu urged the government to listen to the voice of reason and release the IPOB leader.