PDP Crisis: Makarfi, Sheriff factions agrees to bury the hatchet

The leadership crisis rocking the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seems to be coming to an end as the two factions loyal to the National Chairman, Senator All Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi led National Caretaker Committee have agreed to a ceasefire pack.

This development was achieved Thursday following a meeting of the groups with Bayelsa State Governor and the Chairman of the party reconciliation committee Hon. Seriake Dickson in Abuja. While Sheriff, the National Chairman of the party, was represented at the meeting by Ahmed Gulak, Bernard Mikko and Cairo Ojougboh, Makarfi, the Chairman of PDP National Caretaker Committee, was represented by Prince Dayo Adeyeye and Rt. Hon Dave Iorhemba. 

The communiqué signed by their representatives at the end of the meeting that lasted for about two hours, the warring factions said that “all actors of the party should desist from making derogatory, inflammatory and divisive statements against party officials, stakeholders and members. “That the party should not dissipate her energy amongst itself but to focus on how to unite and be a formidable opposition capable of taking over power from the failed APC led government. 

“That all key actors in the on-going peace process should henceforth desist from making public press statements attacking each other and statements insinuating negative acts capable of dragging the party to the mud.” In the meeting chaired by Dickson, both factions agreed that ”all key actors in the PDP have agreed to work together with National Reconciliation Committee led by Governor Seriake Dickson to engender peace and genuine reconciliation.

The Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Walid Jubril has warned that selfish ambition is destroying the party. Senator Jubril, stated this while receiving the report of the reconciliation committee, led by the Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson in his Asokoro home in Abuja. However Dickson had earlier cautioned the two factions, led by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi, to drop their ego and ambition for the unity of the party. Much earlier Thursday, both factions of PDP led by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi, agreed to a cessation of inflammatory statements. 

The agreement was reached under the supervision of the party’s reconciliation committee led by the Bayelsa State governor, Hon Seriake Dickson in Abuja. According to Senator Walid, he warned that “Selfish or personal ambition should never try to destroy this party.” He further dismissed plans to form a new party adding “Any attempt by any member to leave PDP for an unborn party is not a good decision. You cannot build a solid house and abandon it mid way. We must never behave as never do well.

We must resolve our compromises. We need two strong parties, PDP and other one.” He noted that while judiciary is doing its best to resolve the problem legally, the political solution is also welcome. He stated that BOT will meet with other organs of the party, “So that we can call our convention before or latest by June. “I want to assure our members that Peace will return to PDP and all our differences will be resolved.” 

Governor Dickson while presenting the report said “We will also be failing to point out that whether we succeed or how soon we succeed will be based on the collaboration of all of us. “Let us leave all personal grievances and ambitions behind. This party is not about Makarfi and Sheriff alone.

Let us all unite, leave egos and ambition.” He maintained that Sheriff has written an undertaken to allow the convention committee free hand to operate and for party officers holding officer should resign ahead of the convention.