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  • Sheriff, Makarfi agree to halt media war

    Sheriff, Makarfi agree to halt media war

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff and the party’s Caretaker Committee chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, have agreed to halt their bitter media war.

    This followed the intervention of the Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson who brought the warring factions to the conference table yesterday.

    Dickson, who chairs the party’s reconciliation committee, met with the two factions at his private residence in Maitama, Abuja, where the deal was consummated.

    However, Sheriff and Makarfi were not present at the meeting. They were represented.

    Prince Dayo Adeyeye led the Makarfi team; Dr. Cairo Ojougboh stood in for Sheriff.

    A four-point agreement signed by Dickson and the parties directed the factions to halt the media war and verbal attacks that have been ongoing for about a year.

    The four-point resolution reads: “That all actors of the parties 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 conclusion, 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”.

    Dickson and his committee   later met with the party’s Board of Trustees and submitted a copy of the four-point resolution to the Chairman of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin

    Also speaking on the matter, Jibrin, who hailed Dickson for his role in bringing peace to the troubled party, enjoined parties in the dispute to sheath their swords.

    But, before the peace parley, Makarfi’s faction said yesterday there was no vacancy at the PDP National Secretariat, Abuja.

    Makari stated this in a statement by his committee’s Publicity Secretary in Abuja.

    He said the attention of the caretaker committee had been drawn to some newspaper publication, titled: “Vacancies in the PDP National Secretariat’’.

    He said the report was credited to Prof. Wale Oladipo, National Secretary to Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction, who advertised for various offices in the PDP secretariat, declaring them vacant.

    He said Oladipo was ignorant of the position of the recent Appeal Court judgment of February 17, which ordered PDP to revert to the status quo before May 21, 2016.

    He described the publication as a ploy by Sheriff and his “cohorts’’ to disengage the establishment staff of the party for acting in line with their constitutional mandate and convictions.

  • Sheriff, Makarfi agree to halt ‘media war’

    Sheriff, Makarfi agree to halt ‘media war’

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff and the party’s Caretaker Committee chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, have agreed to halt their bitter media war.

    This followed the intervention of the Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, who brought the warring factions to the conference table on Thursday.

    Dickson, who is the chairman of the party’s reconciliation committee, met with the two factions at his private residence in Maitama, Abuja, where the deal was consummated.

    However, both Sheriff and Makarfi were not physically present at the meeting.

    They were both represented by members of their teams.

    Prince Dayo Adeyeye led the Makarfi team, while Dr. Cairo Ojougboh stood in for Sheriff.

    A four-point agreement signed by Dickson and the parties directed the factions to halt the media war and verbal attacks that have been ongoing for about a year.

    The resolutions are:

    • That all actors of the parties should desist from making derogatory, inflammatory and divisive statements against party officials, stakeholders and members.
    • That the party should not dissipate energy amongst itself but to focus on how to unite and be a formidable opposition capable of taking over power from the APC led government.
    • That all key actors in the ongoing 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 conclusion, 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.

    Dickson and his committee members later met with the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) where a copy of the four-point resolution was submitted to the chairman of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin

  • Sheriff working for APC, says Makarfi

    Sheriff working for APC, says Makarfi

    The National Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, in this interview with reporters in Kaduna, the Kaduna State capital, speaks on why the committee rejected the report of the Reconciliation Committee headed by Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson. ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE was there.

    Why did the PDP National Caretaker Committee headed by you reject the report of the Reconciliation Committee headed by Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson?

    Well, I am as confused and perplexed like the majority of the PDP members, because His Excellency, Governor Seriaki Dickson will be in the best position to know why what happened happened. I would be wrong to outrightly say he has ulterior motive, maybe, exuberance on his side. Whatever it is, I don’t know, but I want to remind people that this peace issue has been on for a long time. General Ali Gusau had hosted several meetings to achieve political solution. One of the highlights then, which was suggested was that, both Ali Modu Sheriff and I should go. I opined that, the problem was not just Ali Modu Sheriff and I. There are other party issues. So, for us to clear the field once and for all. I opined that, if people are to go, it must be comprehensive, not just the two of us. And my fear was when the Court of Appeal made its pronouncement that, the status quo before 21st May should be reverted to, which confirmed all fears at that time. And status quo means that, all national officers of the party, not just working committee, should return to their seats. Any political solution that is not all-encompassing will still not solve the problem, because the problem of tenure will still be there, which the Court of Appeal has recognised.

    Do you think Governor Dickson is up to something?

    I don’t know what he is up to, but it is unfortunate. During his ýinterview on AIT, he said that we are ineffective and not giving a sense of direction, and not even taking on government. Our spokesman has been up and. I too when necessary, have spoken severally. Besides that, I don’t think you can work with nothing. You must be enabled to work, and it is on record that he has not contributed 10 percent of what his colleagues have contributed for us to work. If you as governor has not contributed 10 percent of what your colleagues have contributed for the party to work, he cannot turn round and accuse the party of being ineffective. The question is that were you effective yourself. So, if Governor Dickson is up to something, I really don’t know.

    How do you see the fact that former President Goodluck Jonathan has not adequately reacted to this scenario created by Governor Dickson?

    Well, as former President, he should not just be reacting every now and then. I tell you even this afternoon, I spoke with him, and he has not given up, and he cannot be like some other people. I will speak to him and I will come out and  start saying what we spoke about, or what happened bla…bla…bla. But if everybody is concerned, I know what we discussed. It is not anything negative for the party, we know where we are heading, and we just keep ourselves for questions for where we are heading.

    But, not too long ago, Governor Dickson said he acted based on Court of Appeal judgment, which recognised Modu Sherrif as Chairman…

    It is not a final court. It is like a challenge cup final. In the first half, it is one-one, then you hand over the cup to one team, does that happen, does it make sense. We are in first half, and it is one-one draw, we won at lower court, and let’s assume they won at the Court of Appeal, we are now going to the second half where it must be settled one way or the other. Do you come and declare a winner at this stage, even if you are looking at it legally, and he is a lawyer. Does it make sense?

    Are you foreseeing some things happening?

    Well, people should make up their minds. The facts are there. We are at the Supreme Court. We have done all that is expected of us in filling everything that we need to file. Hopefully, the case may start any time from now. Do you declare a winner at this stage? Even legally, you cannot. Even, looking at the legal issue, no matter the outcome of the Supreme Court, reconciliation must take place, but you don’t say it that it is all over just because of Court of Appeal judgment; it is not the final court of adjudication on this matter.

    Looking at the political solution…

    Let me get back to that. As I said earlier, if you acted based on the Court of Appeal pronouncement, from my own understanding, in the Court of Appeal, there is status quo ante before 21st May, which should be reverted. That has not been reverted to by Modu Sherriff. He is still working with his personally appointed so called national officers. Is that his status quo before 21st May? And if he acted in accordance, as I said earlier, the Court of Appeal pronounced that there is a court order that three national officers, their tenure will expire in August, and 18 others in June or July next year. So, why is he recommending convention in June? Is that in tune with what Court of Appeal pronouncement? What sense does that make. It is in complete contradiction with the pronouncement of the Court of Appeal, which is even on appeal itself.

    Do you really think the party can attain political solution to this crisis in ýthe nearest future?

    I am just being pragmatic, I am just being a realist. I said that I don’t foresee the APC or the PDP remaining in the form they are by the next election. I don’t, as a political realist. I also heard Governor Dickson talked of some people’s plan for a new arrangement, new party and he is against that. That is his own personal opinion. He has to gauge opinion of others, you can agree to an issue, and you may not agree to a particular issue, at the end of the day, the view of majority will prevail. So, those who descent, may either change or find something else to do. Be that as it may, I had said it repeatedly that as Caretaker committee, we have no personal agenda to sell. We are purely implementers of decisions of the majority of our party. If they say we should go left, we go left. If they say we should right, we go right. If they say we should stand where we are, we stand where we are.

    The National Caretaker Committee has majority support of party members. But, why has Sheriff not bowed to the majority?

    Well, it is because he is not acting alone. I have said it repeatedlyý that there are strong elements in the APC government that for their own benefits, are giving him cover and strength to do what he is doing. But, I have also made it clear that I have not seen any evident that the Federal Government sat down and took this as a policy to dismantle the PDP. But, what we know as politicians is that the APC is also divided into groups, they are the over ambitious group in APC, whose plan even for their party is not palatable. They want to over throw everybody there, but they know that after over throwing everybody there. If they leave us in peace, they will not go anywhere, so, they are playing dual games side by side to over throw who they want to over throw in the APC, and also to bring divisions and disarray in our party. This we know, and as politicians, we must have all options open, these options we are talking about is that whatever may happen, we must have a strong and virile opposition party, and we are not resting on our oars to see that this is done. I will not tell you what we are doing or what we are not going to do. But, it is not an option to wind up opposition party in Nigeria in one form or the other. It will grow, it will be strong, and it will serve the purposes of being an opposition party, a clean opposition party for that matter.

    Why do you think Sherrif should allow himself to be used for the APC agenda as a member of your own party?

    Ah! When the PDP was in government at the centre, Modu Sherriff was not in the PDP, but he was working for us, that is his stock in trade, and Leopard does not change his spots.

    Some schools of thought believe that Sherriff is doing what he is doing because he sees you as a big time rival in presidential contest should you decide to run in 2019. How do you react to this?

    You see, I was ready to go in August 2016,  if our convention had not been disrupted, elective convention. If it was not disrupted, I would have since handed over. So, how does that fall in line with somebody who wants something to actualise a perceived political agenda? If the Supreme Court should affirm the validity of the convention within a very short period of time, we call for convention and national officers will be elected and I go. So, what is the big deal? I am not the one that has been disrupting the convention; they are the one who have been disrupting the convention, stopping convention from taking place, and power transiting from caretaker committee to elected national leaders. So, that is completely false. And if we said that we bought into the proposal made by President Goodluck Jonathan and all the governors, how does that fall in line with the perceived personal agenda? But, what he is thinking too is that he must be the one to do convention. Why is he insisting that he must be the one to do convention, except if he has a personal agenda that he wants to carry through. But, that is not what I am saying, so compare and contrast.

    Does it have anything to do with your future political ambition?

    How can it be, when we said that we accepted the proposal of the governors with President Goodluck Jonathan, which means that technically, neither Sherriff nor myself should conduct the convention, thereby creating, level playing field. But, that is what he is resisting, that he has to be the one. Why are you saying that you must be the one? They say if you have something, you know how to set out an agenda.

  • PDP crisis: Supreme Court to hears conflicting motions by Sheriff, Makarfi

    The Supreme Court will on Thursday hear two conflicting motions from warring factions in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The Ahmed Makarfi-led faction has filed a motion seeking accelerated hearing of the appeal it filed on February 27 against the February 17 judgement of the Appeal Court, Port-Harcourt division, upholding the Ali Modu Sheriff-led committee as the authentic leadership organ of the party.

    On its part, the Sheriff faction has filed three processes including a motion and a “Form 19” for the discontinuance of the appeal, and a motion urging the court to strike out the appeal.

    The Makarfi faction, in its motion, wants the court to depart from its rules, abridge the time for the hearing of the appeal and allow accelerated hearing from the appeal.

    The group said it has compiled record of proceedings at the lower court and had it transmitted to the Supreme Court within a week.

    The Makarfi faction said it has also ensured that the appeal is entered in Supreme Court’s list and a number issued. The appeal is numbered: SC.133/2017.

    On its part, the Sheriff faction, in an affidavit supporting its motion for striking out the appeal, stated since it has applied to withdraw the appeal, being the authentic leaders of the party, the proper order to be made by the court was to strike it out.

    PDP’s Acting National Legal Adviser, Bashir Maidugu (belonging to the Sheriff faction), said the PDP did not authorise the appeal.

     

  • Makarfi accuses Sheriff of plotting to hijack PDP for 2019 presidential bid

    Makarfi accuses Sheriff of plotting to hijack PDP for 2019 presidential bid

    •Factions trade words over alleged moves to influence Supreme Court

    THE Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has warned that the party’s court-backed National Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, cannot be trusted to conduct a convention for the PDP.
    At a news conference in Abuja yesterday, spokesman for the Makarfi camp, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said if allowed to conduct the convention, Sheriff would plant his cronies in strategic positions for his selfish end.
    According to him, the team of officers to be so planted by Sheriff would ensure they rubber-stamped his candidacy for the party’s 2019 presidential ticket.
    At a media briefing on Monday, Sheriff in response to a question about his presidential ambition stated that he would leave his presidential ambition to God to decide.
    Adeyeye said: “We have seen the handwriting on the wall. What Sheriff is doing is geared towards one goal; and that is to hijack the presidential ticket of the PDP come 2019.
    “The former Borno State governor has clearly stated that he is interested in contesting the 2019 presidential election using the platform of our party, the PDP.
    “We said it earlier, but most non-party members, as well as some members of the party, who could not see beyond the curtains, didn’t believe it.
    “But we were sure that Senator Sheriff was holding the party to ransom because he wants to hijack the party and use it for his selfish interest.”
    According to Makarfi, with Sheriff as a presidential candidate of any party, the 2019 elections would be a mere walk-over for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
    “Having Sheriff as presidential candidate would be a death sentence for the PDP,” Adeyeye said.
    The two camps traded words yesterday over alleged moves to influence the outcome of the appeal filed at the Supreme Court by the Makarfi camp.
    Addressing reporters earlier, Sheriff’s deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, accused the Makarfi camp of making clandestine moves to influence the case.
    Referring to the Makarfi camp, Ojougboh said: “It is worthy of note today that the same groups of impunity have now resorted to boasting that they are in control of the Supreme Court and that the judgment rejected by the Court of Appeal will be adopted by the Supreme Court.
    “This same judgment that they paraded as the Court of Appeal judgment is what they have now claimed that the Supreme Court will uphold for them.
    “We make bold to say nobody can buy the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court cannot be bought, and that the party has implicit confidence in the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Samuel Walter Onnoghen and his colleagues in the Supreme Court.
    “We therefore, advise Sen. Makarfi and his co travellers that their wishful judgment which they are parading will remain in the thrash can while the party is moving forward and preparing for its national convention”.
    But the Makarfi camp retorted that blackmailing judicial officers is the pastime of Sheriff and his group.
    It said it was the same way the ex-Borno State governor and his group blackmailed members of panels of the Court of Appeal before the February 17 judgment of the appellate court.

  • Why Sheriff cannot be trusted with PDP convention – Makarfi

    Why Sheriff cannot be trusted with PDP convention – Makarfi

    The Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned that the party’s court backed National Chairman, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, cannot be trusted to conduct convention for the party.

    At a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday, spokesman for the Makarfi camp, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said if allowed to conduct the convention, Sheriff would plant his cronies in strategic positions for his selfish ends.

    According to him, the team of officers to be so planted by Sheriff would ensure that they rubber-stamp his candidacy for the party’s 2019 presidential ticket.

    At a media briefing on Monday, Sheriff, in response to a question about his presidential ambition, had stated that he would leave his presidential ambition to God to decide.

    Adeyeye said, “We have seen the handwriting on the wall. What Sheriff is doing is geared towards one goal; and that is to hijack the presidential ticket of the PDP come 2019.

    “The former Borno State Governor has clearly stated that he is interested in contesting the 2019 presidential election using the platform of our party, the PDP.

    “We said it earlier, but most non- party members, as well as some members of the party who could not see beyond the curtains didn’t believe it.

    “But we were sure that Senator Sheriff was holding the party to ransom because he wants to hijack the party and use it for his selfish interest.”

    According to Makarfi’s group, with Sheriff as a presidential candidate of any party, the 2019 elections would be a mere walk-over for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “Having Sheriff as presidential candidate would be a death sentence for the PDP,” Adeyeye said.

    The two camps also traded accusations on Tuesday over moves to influence the outcome of the appeal filed at the Supreme Court by the Makarfi camp.

    Addressing journalists earlier in the day, Sheriff’s deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, accused the Makarfi camp of making clandestine moves to influence the justices of the apex court handling the case.

     

     

  • PDP crisis: I won’t quit, Sheriff replies Makarfi

    PDP crisis: I won’t quit, Sheriff replies Makarfi

    •Says no worthy captain abandons ship midway

    The court-backed national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Senator Ali Modu Sheriff yesterday told those canvassing his resignation as a way out of the crisis tearing the party asunder to forget it.

    He said he is not sold on quitting because   a worthy  captain does not abandon his troubled ship mid-sea.

    “There can be no aircraft without a captain, or a ship without a captain,” Sheriff told reporters after a breakfast meeting in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State at the country home of his  deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh.

    “Anybody wanting a captain of a ship to abandon his ship in the middle of the sea wants the ship to capsize. We do not want PDP to capsize .PDP will always get their leaders through a democratically elected process,” he added.

    Some party members believe one viable way out of the crisis is for both Sheriff and his rival, chairman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee,Senator  Ahmed Makarfi to resign.

    But Sheriff recalled that he once offered to do that while Makarfi refused to do same.

    His words: “When I offered to resign, just because I wanted the party to survive, the very man talking today said even if I resigned, he will not resign so that he would destroy the PDP.

    “But we will not allow him do this.We have said if your intention is to destroy the party, we will not let you do this. The Court of Appeal has made its pronouncement; that whatever he is standing for is not PDP”.

    He branded those kicking against the recommendation of the PDP reconciliation committee headed by Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State as “agents of destruction” seeking to destroy the party.

    He accused Senator Makarfi of having an agenda different from that of the PDP, but vowed that the ideals of the founding fathers of the party will ultimately defeat the forces threatening the unity of the party.

    He said: “We set up this Dickson committee even before we envisaged any problem anywhere.

    “It was the NEC of the PDP that set up that committee.If it was a committee that was set up under my leadership and all party faithful were present at the NEC meeting; if they make a recommendation that will be a solution for our party why should I reject it?

    “ I am here to build the party, not to destroy it. The working committee of my party totally accepted the roadmap that Dickson put out.

    “Anybody that kicks against that roadmap; they are the agents of destruction .They have an agenda which they are not letting Nigerians to know. Their agenda is not PDP’s; it is something different.

    “ They were sent to destroy the PDP. This party belongs to us.”

    Taking another look at the crowd of PDP supporters who had gathered to receive him,Sheriff  said: “Who are the real PDP and those people who want PDP to grow and those that want the party destroyed?

    “I can assure you this party that was put together by its founding fathers will remain the greatest party in Africa”.

    On the chances of the PDP in the 2019 general elections following its unending crisis, Sheriff said the party lost the last elections because of the culture of impunity but stressed that the current executive led by him will put an end to the  impunity.

    He said:”Why the PDP lost the election to APC at the central was because of the impunity that I am fighting today. “I am working to cancel impunity from the party. We want the people’s choices to man the offices not the candidates brought by Ali Modu Sheriff. We must allow the party to have their way. Democracy is government of the people by the people and for the people and not somebody who wants to plant a governor in Borno, in Lagos; No. Then it is no longer government of the people.”

    Also speaking,Dr. Ojougboh said the

    the Ali Modu Sheriff’s camp was against suggestions that both Makarfi and Sheriff should resign, adding that ex-President Jonathan specifically instructed Sheriff after his meeting with the PDP governors to fashion out a strategy for reconciling aggrieved party members and that the conversation never dwelled on both party leaders resigning their positions.

    His words, “Anybody who is talking about Sheriff resigning is infantile, discourteous , impunity personified and self- serving, envious of the hard won victory of Ali Modu Sheriff and the fact that Sheriff is putting the party back on track. We are therefore stating very seriously that the issue of Ali Modu Sheriff resigning should never be discussed at any forum.

    “ It will not be entertained and we will not listen to it .W are ready for the convention and we are working assiduously to ensure that everybody is carried along for an effective generally acceptable convention that will usher in a new executive that will deliver the PDP in 2019”.

  • Dickson to Makarfi: propaganda won’t help PDP

    Dickson to Makarfi: propaganda won’t help PDP

    BAYELSA State Governor and Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) National Reconciliation Committee Seriake Dickson has described comments on the submission of his report to the National Executive of the party as mere propaganda.
    Dickson said rather than name-calling, resorting to propaganda and outright lies, it was high time the party came together in the interest of peace.
    The governor, who spoke in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said despite his sacrifices, it was unfortunate that some persons within the party, were making “uncharitable comments” on the report meant to salvage the party.
    He called on everyone who had any idea to take the party out of its crisis to proffer their own solutions, instead of seeking to pull down the little gains that had been made by the committee.
    Dickson said: “My attention has been drawn to series of half-truths and litany of lies being peddled by some leaders, stakeholders and members of our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following the recent submission of the report of the reconciliation committee, which I chaired.
    “In my usual character, I am not disposed to joining issues with anyone or group, especially on a matter that I think can be settled internally. More so, when some of the key actors are not sincerely committed to bringing an end to the festering crisis that has set us back as a party”.
    Dickson explained that he never supported the party’s court-declared chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.
    He added that since the Appeal Court had recognised him as leader of the party, the laws had to be obeyed.
    He said: “First, let me state in clear terms that the ongoing blame game, name-calling and propaganda will not in any way help us. Rather, we are by such actions de-marketing ourselves and playing into the hands of the All Progressive Congress (APC), which appears to be the major beneficiary of the crisis rocking our party.
    “What we should be doing now is to look for an amicable solution to come out of where we are, rally round ourselves and form a bond like never before since INEC had released the timetable for the 2019 general elections.
    “Secondly, everyone, especially in the PDP Governors Forum can testify that I never supported Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as national chairman. I strongly canvassed against his choice because he was new to our party.
    “I felt that we needed a fresh face for a new beginning. But as a democrat, I believe in the plurality of opinions, which made me to tag along. Now with the Appeal Court judgment affirming him as the national chairman, it is only legal and strategic for all leaders of the party to engage him on a template such as what we have proposed.”
    He added: “Our conviction is that the recommendations of the report, chief of which is to hold a national unity convention, will finally put an end to the hydra-headed crisis. It is important to also state that our recommendations are not cast in stones but at the moment the most likely way to get us out of where we are.
    “I urge all party leaders and members who think they have a better solution outside what my committee has done to come forward with it for the interest of our great party. This is important and will help preserve the unity of the party”.
    The governor, who emphasised that there was still a lot of work to be done, noted that only the truth could save the party from further crisis.

  • Sheriff, Makarfi bicker over governors’ N50m stipend

    Sheriff, Makarfi bicker over governors’ N50m stipend

    ARE the party’s governors giving N50 million monthly to the Markarfi-led caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?
    The accusation and counter accusation were being exchanged yesterday by the caretaker committee and the court-backed National chairman Ali Modu Sheriff.
    Deputy National Chairman Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, alleged that Makarfi’s opposition to the planned convention stemmed from a N50 million monthly subvention the caretaker committee has been collecting from the party’s governors.
    “They know that the N50 million monthly subvention Makarfi gets from the governors will stop after the reconciliation and convention. They know that as soon as the ongoing reconciliation pulls through they will no longer exist”, Ojougboh said.
    But spokesman of the Makarfi group Dayo Adeyeye described Ojougboh’s allegation as blackmail that is too cheap and too simplistic.
    “This is a lie from the pit of hell and a very cheap and unintelligent attempt at blackmail. It is a known fact by all critical stakeholders of the party and even the staff that the National Caretaker Committee have from inception been hamstrung by inadequate finance.
    “So much so that simple secretariat duties have been a struggle while we have been unable to pay staff salaries of just N18 million a month. Members of the National Caretaker Committee do not enjoy any remuneration.
    “The governors are all alive and are free to come forward and declare publicly their level of contributions to the National Caretaker Committee since May 21, 2016”, Adeyeye retorted.
    According to him, it’s normal for organs of the party to freely make contributions towards the running of the party, stressing that there is nothing illegal about receiving contributions from party members.
    “Our only regret is that these contributions have not been forthcoming as expected, given the heavy weight of responsibilities placed before us and especially the burden of having to deal with distractions caused by Senator Sheriff and his cohorts.
    “Nevertheless, no matter how little, it is better to be funded by our party members than by the All Progressive Congress (APC) as is the case with Senator Sheriff and his cohorts.
    “Dr. Cairo Ojougboh should tell us which APC governor, minister or official bought Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for them? Governor Fayose has also made a public allegation that Senator Sheriff had received $1 million from the APC to organise a new convention. Senator Sheriff is yet to publicly refute the allegation.
    “The only thing that matters to Dr. Ojougboh is his own selfish and personal interest to be Deputy National Chairman at all cost. If he is offered that position today by the party, he would not think twice to abandon Sheriff. He has no locus to speak or act on behalf of the party.”
    Makarfi also offered to resign his position and called on Sheriff to also quit.
    Makarfi said he was ready to resign, in line with the directive of former President Goodluck Jonathan asking him and Sheriff to step aside to allow the ongoing reconciliation efforts achieve results.
    But Sheriff has declined, insisting that he would go ahead to conduct the party’s planned national convention, tentatively fixed for June 30 by a reconciliation committee headed by the Bayelsa State Governor Dickson.
    The two factions traded accusations at separate media briefings in Abuja yesterday.
    Adeyeye said Makarfi and Sheriff’s resignation would create a level-playing field for the party to build trust and confidence in the members.
    Adeyeye said, “We accepted President Goodluck Jonathan and the governors’ comprehensive political solution. It called for the resignation of Senator Sheriff and the so- called NWC and also the National Caretaker Committee to create a level playing field for all, and to build trust among all members.”
    Rebuffing the call for resignation, Sheriff, who spoke through Ojougboh, accused Makarfi of scheming to get the party’s presidential ticket for the 2019 election.
    Ojougboh said Makarfi’s presidential ambition was stalling reconciliation efforts in the party, adding that the same reason made the former Kaduna State Governor oppose the planned convention under Sheriff.
    Said he: “Makarfi wants a situation where he will tailor-make the convention to suit his interest because he has come out to say that he will be contesting for the presidency of the country.
    “We are very mindful that we are not going to tie our party around any individual. That is why Sheriff said he would throw everything open. That is why we are studying the position of the reconciliation committee and that is good enough to advance our party.”

  • Makarfi denies receiving N50 million from governors

    The National Caretaker Committee Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has denied allegation that it was collecting N50 million monthly subvention from governors on the party’s platform.

    The committee’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Dayo Adeyeye, made the denial on Monday in Abuja.

    The National Chairman of PDP, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, had at a news conference earlier on Monday in Abuja accused the caretaker committee headed by Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, of collecting money from the governors monthly.

    Sheriff, who was represented at the conference by his deputy, Dr Cairo Ojougbo, also alleged that all organs of the party wanted political solution to its leadership crisis “except the caretaker committee’’.

    According to him, the caretaker committee does not want to let go because of the N50 million it was receiving monthly from the party’s governors.

    But, Adeyeye described the allegation as “a lie, cheap and unintelligent attempt’’ to blackmail the committee members.

    “It is a known fact by all critical stakeholders of the party and even the staff that the National Caretaker Committee has from inception been hamstrung by inadequate finance.

    “This is so much that simple secretariat duties have been a struggle not to talk of payment of staff salary.

    “To pay staff salaries of just N18 Million a month has been a problem for us because the funds are not available,’’ he said.

    Adeyeye added that members of the caretaker committee did not enjoy any remuneration, and that more often, they spent their personal money to meet some of the party’s needs.

    He said that the committee never complained publicly about the paucity of fund because it was an internal matter.

    He said that the governors ruling on the party’s platform were alive for people to verify the truth of their alleged financial support to the committee

    The publicity secretary, however, pointed out that there was nothing wrong or untoward in receiving contributions from the governors or party members in running a party.

    “Our only regret is that these contributions have not been forthcoming as expected, giving the heavy responsibilities placed before us.

    “Weighty responsibility, especially the burden of having to deal with distractions caused by Sheriff and his group are left for us to deal with.

    “Nevertheless, no matter how little, it is better to be funded by our party members than by the All Progressive Congress (APC) as is the case with Sheriff and his cohorts.

    `Cairo should tell us which APC governor, minister or official bought Jeeps for them?

    “Gov. Àyodele Fayose has also made a public allegation that Sheriff has received the sum of one million dollars from the APC to organize a new convention for PDP.

    “Sheriff is yet to publicly refute the allegation,’’ he said.

    On Sheriff’s call on Prof. Jerry Gana-led Strategy Review and Inter-Party Affairs Committee to stop speaking for the party because “it is illegal’’, Adeyeye said that the committee remained legal.

    He urged Gana and his group to continue with their good work aimed at repositioning the party.

    On the status of Ojougboh in PDP National Working Committee (NWC), Adeyeye said Ojougboh parading himself as in that capacity was “an extreme act of impunity’’.

    He said that Ojougboh was neither elected into the position nor appointed by National Executive Council of the party.

    “He was not a member of the NWC that existed prior to May 21, 2016.’’

    On political solutions to the party’s leadership problem, he said that the committee has not rejected it, rather it had accepted the resolutions reached by former President Goodluck Jonathan and the governors.

    “The agreement states clearly that all parties should resign their various positions.

    “It added that our lawyers should therefore meet and draw up an agreement that we can present to the Supreme Court as a voluntary judgement that we have agreed to.

    “These would have provided both political and legal solution to the logjam, but Sheriff rejected it.

    “Sheriff has continued to insist that he would conduct a National Convention but he does not enjoy the trust and confidence of the vast majority of party members,’’ Adeyeye stated.

    He added that if Sheriff truly believed in the unity of the party, he should resign “as the caretaker committee members are also willing to resign, saying, “no scarify is too much for anybody to make’’