From Taiwo Amodu, Abuja
Two days after he denied peace deal with the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee, chairman of the dissolved National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has stated his terms for amity to return to the erstwhile ruling party.
Speaking while playing host to a delegation of the party chieftains from Abia State, he declared that he would renounce his claim to the office of national chairman once the Makarfi committee was dissolved.
He restated that there was no provision for caretaker committee in the party constitution.
Speaking further on his peace terms, he said the fresh convention slated for August 17 in Port Harcourt by the national caucus of the party at the end of its meeting last week must hold in Abuja. He insisted that his faction and the Makarfi team must present 10 members each to organise the fresh convention.
Unlike his earlier declaration where he feigned ignorance of any trouble shooting meeting, Sheriff admitted that there was, indeed, a truce meeting in Jalingo, Taraba State, with host governor, Darius Ishaku, his Gombe state counterpart, Ibrahim Dankwabbo and Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson in attendance. Also present at the meeting was former deputy senate president, Ibrahim Mantu.
Sheriff further maintained that until his peace terms presented at the Taraba meeting were met, he would remain in office until 2018.
He said: “Proposals were put forward in Taraba and discussions cannot go forward until you handle it from the foundation.
“In Taraba, all issues put forward were for Makarfi Caretaker Committee to be dissolved.
“Makarfi’s committee should resign, it doesn’t exist in the PDP constitution. What exists is the national chairman which I am, there is nothing like caretaker committee. I remain the chairman until 2018.