Caretaker committee must be dissolved -Sheriff
No going back on Port-Harcourt convention –Markafi
From Taiwo Amodu, Abuja and Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Professor Jerry Gana Reconciliation Committee, on Tuesday night, failed in its bid to resolve the leadership tussle rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Daily Sun gathered that embattled factional leader, Ali-Modu Sheriff, at a closeddoor meeting with the Professor Gana team, insisted on the dissolution of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi committee. The former Borno State governor also demanded the cancellation of the national convention slated for next Wednesday in Port Harcourt.
Before the meeting dissolved into a closed-door session, Sheriff had accused the trouble shooting team, made up of members of Board of Trustees (BoT), of complacency over what he called the high handedness and impunity of the governors.
According to him: “People want to use one impunity to correct another, it will never work.
“I want to put it on record I never asked or wanted to be national chairman of the PDP. People came to beg me to fix the party after the loss of the election in 2015.
“Governor of Bayelsa State came and I objected initially. A lot of misinformation is going around. I took the responsibility to put the party together, and I did my best within the period.
“I respect a lot of my leaders; however, most of the problems we experience today would not have happened if our leaders had taken their responsibilities seriously.
“We all want our party to be great again, but, we must do away with impunity.”
Earlier, Gana said the motive of his team was to find a lasting solution to the leadership impasse, which has polarised the party.
Meanwhile, the Makarfi-led faction has declared that there was no going back on the forthcoming National Convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Chairman, Rivers State three-Ad Hoc National Delegate Congress and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, stated this yesterday, at the party’s Secretariat in Port Harcourt.
Addressing newsmen, Ihedioha said he and other members of the ad hoc committee were dispatched to the state to ensure a successful delegate congresses in the State.
He said the issue of Alhaji Modu Sheriff-led PDP was a bygone, stressing that the former national chairman and officers were statutorily removed by the delegates at the national convention held in Port Harcourt in May, this year.
He further said the constitutions of the party and the country were supreme, stressing that an individual could not unilaterally take a decision against the collective position of other members.
Ihedioha urged members of the party and Nigerian’s in general, to be focused, noting that there has not been any judgement by a court of higher jurisdiction quashing the verdict of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, that recognised Makarfi-led committee.
“The constitutions of our party and that of the country are supreme. Modu Sheriff and other national officers of the party were duly removed by the delegates at the national convention held in Port Harcourt, in line with the party’s guideline,” Ihedioha said.
“There is a process that leads to the national convention. Nigerians should be focused and not be distracted by any move by any person. The national leadership of our party has inaugurated a high-powered National Convention Committee to ensure that we have a successful convention in Port Harcourt.
“I know there are agents of detractions working against our party. We are trying to build our national democracy; all these actions against our democracy will fail,” he declared.
“People want to use one impunity to correct another, it will never work.
“I want to put it on record I never asked or wanted to be national chairman of the PDP. People came to beg me to fix the party after the loss of the election in 2015.
“Governor of Bayelsa State came and I objected initially. A lot of misinformation is going around. I took the responsibility to put the party together, and I did my best within the period.
“I respect a lot of my leaders; however, most of the problems we experience today would not have happened if our leaders had taken their responsibilities seriously.
“We all want our party to be great again, but, we must do away with impunity.”
Earlier, Gana said the motive of his team was to find a lasting solution to the leadership impasse, which has polarised the party.
“We’re here today, not as a panel, not as a court or as an appeal committee, but as a family. We pray to God to guide us so that the party can be one again. Fortunately, we are here as politicians, as solution providers. Any one who is a man of God can be a solution provider. We have a burden of historic responsibility. As founding members of the party, only three of us are still alive, and we feel a sense of responsibility that what our founding fathers started will not be laid to waste. We are here because we mean well.”