Sheriff Demands Suspension Of PDP Convention

Factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, on Tuesday, said for peace to return to the party, the proposed national convention scheduled for August 17 in Port Harcourt should be put off and a new date fixed by party stakeholders.

Sheriff, who met for about three hours with members of the reconciliation committee set up by the Board of Trustees (BoT) to reconcile aggrieved party members, also insisted that the National Caretaker Committee, headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, should be disbanded as such is alien to the PDP constitution.

The reconciliation committee, headed by former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, was inaugurated last Monday by the BoT Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin, to find political solution to the lingering crisis.

The committee met with the factional chairman at his office in Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday night, and rose about 12a.m. yesterday morning. Apart from Gana, other reconciliation committee members present at the meeting were former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido; his Enugu State counterpart, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo; Senate Deputy Minority Whip, Mrs. Abiodun Olujimi; former Senate Whip, Mrs. Stella Omu; former Minister of Aviation, Ambassador Fidelia Njeze; former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Inna Ciroma; and AVM Dan Suleiman (rtd), among others.

On Sheriff’s side were former PDP Vice Chairman (South-South), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Senator Hope Uzodinma and former Political Adviser to the President, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, among others. A source at the meeting further revealed that Sheriff agreed to make concession, but only in accordance with the PDP constitution.

According to the source, Sheriff is also against the venue of the convention and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State heading the national convention planning committee, adding that he insisted that the ward, local government and state congresses already concluded and approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC) must stand.

The factional chairman had, at the opening session, accused party leaders, including some members of the panel, for being responsible for the leadership crisis. According to him, the crisis would not have arisen if leaders were alive to their responsibilities.

“If our leaders have taken their responsibilities, we would never have had most of the problems we are facing today. When a leader refused to stand up to his responsibilities, there will be problem. “Why am I saying this? Some of our leaders are party to our problem.

The moment we want to use one impunity to address another, it will not work,” he said. At a joint press briefing with the committee chairman at the end of the meeting, Gana and Sheriff noted that the BoT was now better informed on the crisis.

“All that was discussed today (Tuesday) was the problems. They will go back to the BoT that sent them. I am sure that in the next meeting, they come back with recommendations that will bring lasting solutions and peace to the party,” Sheriff said.

He commended the effort of the BoT towards resolving the crisis. Gana on his part said the committee had taken serious note of analysis of problems causing disaffection within the party.

He said: “We are delighted that there has been a clear resolution on the determination and the desire that the problems been resolved, unity be reestablished and for PDP to move forward.”

He assured PDP members that efforts were ongoing to resolve the party crisis, adding, “Nigerians are waiting for PDP; they are missing the PDP, they are crying and yearning for PDP because the 16 years of democracy cannot be wasted away.” The committee later met yesterday to review the issues raised at the meeting with the factional chairman.