PDP Crisis: ‘Markafi must go’, Sheriff insists

The embattled former  chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has said that he can only let go of his claim to the chairmanship of the party only if he is allowed to nominate ten members to join the other ten that would be nominated by Senator Ahmed Makarfi to organize a fresh convention for the party.

Speaking yesterday when of a delegation of Abia chapter of the PDP from the 17 local governments paid him a solidarity visit in Abuja, senator Sheriff said he was ready to let go of his claim to the chairmanship of the party in deference to the intervention by the governors of Taraba and Gombe states but the Conditions that he gave must be met. But one of his former supporters, senator Buruji Kashamu yesterday appealed to Senator Sheriff to let go of his claim to the leadership of the party in the interest of the party and its supporters nationwide.

According to Sheriff, the convention of the party being proposed must be held in Abuja with him and the national caretaker committee headed by Senator Makarfi nominating ten members each to conduct the convention.

He said his conditions for a unified party were based on the agreement reached at the reconciliation meeting held at the Taraba State Government House under the chairmanship of Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson and deputised by Senator Ibrahim Mantu.

He warned that unless the conditions he had set out were met, he would remain the national chairman of the party till 2018. Senator Sheriff said that the impunity which had prevailed in the party in the past and led it to the present sorry state must be stopped.

He explained: “Proposals were put forward in Taraba and discussions cannot go forward until you handle it from the foundation. In Taraba, all issues put forward was for Makarfi Caretaker Committee to be dissolved.