Ondo Guber: PDP Plans Reconciliation ahead of Polls

The former national secretary of the PDP, Professor Adewale Oladepo, says they are setting up a 24-man committee to reorganize the party.

This is part of ongoing efforts by leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party  to put their house together, ahead of the Ondo governorship election.

Professor Oladepo stated this at a press conference in Abuja on the activities of the party in the last two weeks after the two factional leaders agreed to work together.

The former national secretary stated that the 24-man committee that will be inaugurated will not only reconcile the party, but will prepare it ahead of the Ondo state governorship election in November.

Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and his group had been in constant leadership tussle with the Makarfi-led caretaker committee  in the last five months.

The party’s attempt to elect principal officers in May and August 2016 to put to rest the leadership crisis failed.

But the Secretary of the Makarfi-led caretaker committee, Senator Ben Obi and the Deputy Chairman of Senator Sheriff-led faction told reporters at a joint press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, September 20, that all differences were being resolved.

It was also announced that the two group leaders had agreed to set up a joint committee that will reconcile other aggrieved members of the party.

Division became obvious in the party after it lost power to the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 general election. Its national convention held in Port Harcourt ended controversially, with the chairman of the party, Senator Sheriff removed.

After his removal at that convention, top leaders of the party set up a caretaker committee headed by Senator Makarfi.

However, Senator Sheriff continued to parade himself as the chairman of the party, saying the decision to remove him contravened a court order that had made the convention illegal.

The party has continued in division, with both men claiming the leadership position.