The House Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, has said those supporting Sen. Modu Sheriff as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party are “just noisemakers”.
Ogor spoke in reaction to the declaration of support for Sheriff by some Reps despite a purpoted agreement by the PDP caucus to support the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the party.
The members were said to have agreed to back the Markafi-led faction at a meeting summoned by Ogor soon after Sheriff was declared as the PDP chairman by the Court of Appeal last week.
On Monday, however, some members came out openly to distance themselves from the position of the caucus, which was made public, saying they were not part of it.
One of the members, Mr. Adesegun Adekoya, said many lawmakers in both the Senate and the House were “solidly” behind Sheriff.
Adekoya, who represents Ijebu North/East/Ogun Waterside Federal Constituency, told The PUNCH that the “so-called” caucus position was non-existent.
He said, “You can quote me anywhere any day. We are for Sheriff. As a lawmaker, I should not be a lawbreaker. All the people in my constituency, down to the last councillor, are for Sheriff.
“In Ogun, we have two PDP members: myself and my second (Adebutu Oladipupo). He is for Makarfi; yes, that is his choice.
“But, I am for Sheriff. That makes it 50-50.
“If you go to Osun State, Hon. Wole Oke is for Sheriff. Go and check in all the states, you will find out that many of us are for Sheriff.
“See, my brother, there is one thing about politicians. When they are in the open, they will say one thing, but when it comes to voting, they will go the other way. They will surprise you.”
In reaction, Ogor, who is from Delta State, said, “You will expect that some people will always want to cause trouble to seek attention.
“The caucus met and took a position. We all agreed that Makarfi is the one in charge of affairs of the PDP and we are with him. All these people talking about Sheriff should be ignored. We don’t know Sheriff.”
At the inauguration of the current 8th Assembly in June 2015, the PDP controlled 139 out of the 360 members of the House.
But, in the months following the factional crisis, some members seized the opportunity to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Only on Wednesday last week, Mr. Emmanuel Ukoette from Akwa Ibom State, a PDP stronghold, also defected to the APC on the floor of the House.
Like others before him, Ukoette cited the factional crisis as his reason for shifting his political party platform.
Source – The Punch
