PDP's Sheriff And Makarfi Meet And Agree To Reconcile

The long drawn battle for the control of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have come to an end as leaders of the warring factions, Senators Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff met yesterday, and agreed to sheath their swords.

The two leaders, who met in Abuja, declared that it was time to heal the wounds and bring a united, focused opposition that can bring sanity to the democratic process.

While declaring that a joint committee will be set up to ensure a holistic reconciliation of all aggrieved segments of the party across the country, they stressed that the peace resolution is without prejudice to all outstanding matters in court.

The written resolution, jointly signed by Makarfi and Sheriff, was read at a joint press conference by the secretary of the national caretaker committee, Senator Ben Obi, and Sheriff’s deputy national chairman, Hon Cairo Ojougboh.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the PDP was thrown into a leadership crisis following the removal of Sheriff as national chairman at a national convention which held in May 21 this year, with the national caretaker committee, led by Makarfi, set up to lead the party at the same convention.

Series of court cases have since trailed the leadership tussle, leading to a botched national convention on August 17 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Ojougboh said, “At a meeting held this morning between the two of us, a holistic review of the state of affairs of our great party, PDP, was deliberated upon.

“In reviewing the crisis that has engulfed our party since the loss of the 2015 general elections – after 16 years of uninterrupted leadership at the centre – it became obvious to both of us, as principal actors, that it is time to heal the wounds and bring about a united, focused and constructive opposition party that can bring sanity to our democratic process, bringing relief to the teeming supporters of our great party and to the benefit of our great country.

“Based on the above, we have both agreed to: consult widely with all relevant organs of the party; set up a joint committee that will carry out a holistic reconciliation of all aggrieved segments of our party across the country and in the Diaspora; pursue the vision of the founding fathers of our great party.”

According to him, the details of all the above will be made public very soon, even as he called on all party members to remain calm and refrain from any actions and utterances that could further bring about divisions or dispute the party.

Senator Obi corroborated Ojougboh’s statement.

“As we speak today, PDP is back as one party,” he said, adding that the two leaders met and decided it was time they put an end to the crisis that had engulfed PDP.”

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