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PDP CRISIS: Gov. Wike, Party Chairman Fight Dirty As Jonathan's Peace Meeting Turn 'War Zone' ...Sheriff Storms Out

PDP CRISIS: Gov. Wike, Party Chairman Fight Dirty As Jonathan's Peace Meeting Turn 'War Zone' ...Sheriff Storms Out

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ALI MODU SHERIFF
The peace meeting convened by former President Goodluck Jonathan to end the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party ended in disarray in Abuja on Thursday.

The disagreement among the key actors in the party crisis also forced the National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, to walk out of the meeting.

Jonathan, who presided over the meeting, had earlier in his opening address, begged the combatants to sheathe their swords.

As of the time he spoke, Sheriff had yet to arrive the meeting, but some other guests, including the Chairman of the sacked National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, were in attendance.

As soon as he finished speaking, Sheriff walked in.


His late entrance caused a little stir as the sitting arrangement had to be hurriedly adjusted in order to find him a place close to the former President.

In the programme of events, those listed to speak after Jonathan were Sheriff, Makarfi and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin.

Instead of calling the two combatants to address the gathering, Walid was ushered into the podium, where he also appealed to the members of the party to forget their differences.

He said he would die a member of the party, just as he pleaded with those that would attend his burial to bury his party membership card with him.

Sources at the meeting said at the closed-door session, Sheriff was alleged to have insisted that as the national chairman of the party, he was going to address the audience.

It was gathered that he insisted that Makarfi would not speak since his committee had been sacked by the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division.

His proposal was said to have been rejected by the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who allegedly insisted that Makarfi should also be allowed to speak if Sheriff would speak.

A source stated, “The argument became so ferocious to the extent that Sheriff and Wike had to stand up, pointing fingers at each other while Jonathan looked with bewilderment.

“The former President tried to pacify them, but there was nothing he could do.”

He added that both the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; a former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, and a host of others, who were at the meeting also tried in vain to calm the two combatants.

At this point, the former President was said to have asked that some selected attendees should meet inside one of the rooms within the Yar’Adua Centre, where the meeting held.

Those at the secret meeting were Jonathan, Wike, Sheriff, Ekweremadu, Jibrin, Mark and the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.

Fayose was the first to come out of the secret meeting, the source added.

It was also gathered that Sheriff later emerged from the room and walked out of the larger meeting.

Sheriff, a former governor of Borno State, later spoke with journalists outside the hall of the meeting.

He said he was standing with the report of the Peace and Reconciliation Committee of the party, which is headed by the Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

The committee had, in its report, outlined ways to end the crisis and that a national convention should hold latest by June 30 in Abuja.

He said, “The party, as of today, has one national chairman, which is Ali Modu Sheriff. There is no PDP meeting that will take place under any arrangement that I will not make an opening remark as a national chairman.

“I think that Governor Dickson made a proposal, and we have accepted it. Other people have a programme to bring agenda which is not part of the proposal.

“And as a national chairman of the party, what I told you people in my office that I will not be a party to anybody using me for his personal agenda; I will not.”

When asked if he had respect for the former President who convened the meeting, Sheriff answered in the affirmative.

He said it was because of the respect that made him return to Nigeria for the meeting.

“But we have a programme, which is initiated by the Dickson committee. Anything outside that, I will not be part of it,” he added.

Among those who followed him were members of his National Working Committee, led by the Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh; and the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo.

Later, Jonathan, who spoke with journalists after the exit of Sheriff and his team, described what happened as unfortunate.

He nevertheless said the meeting would go ahead with the hope of ending the crisis in the party.

He announced that he would set up of a 40-member committee, which he said he would head.

Jonathan added that in his absence, either his former Deputy, Namadi Sambo, or Mark would stand in for him to lead the meeting.

He explained that the proposed committee would have six members of the BoT, six members to be drawn from both Sheriff and Makarfi groups, all the governors, Ekweremadu and other members from the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Nigerians still believe in PDP, says Jonathan

Meanwhile, the former President, on Thursday, submitted that Nigerians still believed in the PDP.

The former President spoke at the ongoing PDP Stakeholders Meeting in Abuja.

He stated that the former ruling party remained the only hope for the country, pleading with its members to bury their differences in order to end the crisis bedevilling it.

“We shall overcome the challenges and I can assure you that the PDP will rise again,” he said.

He added that all over the world, political parties lost elections, not because they had entirely failed, “but because in most cases, the people who gave them power in the first place, have decided to hand it over to another party in order to experience a different kind of leadership.”

He stated, “The fact that we allowed this process to take place peacefully and freely handed over power to the opposition did not only lift the profile of our party, but also elevated our country to the status of one of the world’s stable and reliable democracies.”

He listed the achievements of his party in power for 16 years.

The former President stated, “We were able to achieve this because our government really reformed the electoral and political process by giving the electoral bodies their true independence which subsequently opened up the political space for free and fair elections.

“We may have had shortcomings while in power, but we also recorded significant achievements and great milestones.

“Through purposeful leadership, we reformed our institutions, rebuilt the nation’s confidence, regained international goodwill and rekindled hope in our people.

“This is not a forum for chest-thumping but it is important we highlight some relevant initiatives of past PDP administrations.”

Jonathan added, “We transformed the entertainment industry, especially Nollywood, by not only boosting its capacities and international prominence, but also turning it into an attractive and viable sector that became an important contributor to the growth of our economy.

“We built the Kaduna-Abuja rail, the first modern rail in the country. We also pursued a successful automotive policy and established a promising industrial revolution plan.

“We equally enacted the Freedom of Information Act in order to give the people unfettered access to information on the activities of government.”

He appealed to the members of the party to work together and rebuild the PDP and strengthen it in line with the vision of its founding fathers.

He said, “We have to remind ourselves that the prolongation of the crisis in our party may have cost us so much in election fortunes in recent times.

“The loss of Edo and Ondo governorship elections is still fresh in our memory. It goes without saying that we cannot afford to have a repeat of that in the forthcoming elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states.”
ALI MODU SHERIFF
The peace meeting convened by former President Goodluck Jonathan to end the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party ended in disarray in Abuja on Thursday.

The disagreement among the key actors in the party crisis also forced the National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, to walk out of the meeting.

Jonathan, who presided over the meeting, had earlier in his opening address, begged the combatants to sheathe their swords.

As of the time he spoke, Sheriff had yet to arrive the meeting, but some other guests, including the Chairman of the sacked National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, were in attendance.

As soon as he finished speaking, Sheriff walked in.


His late entrance caused a little stir as the sitting arrangement had to be hurriedly adjusted in order to find him a place close to the former President.

In the programme of events, those listed to speak after Jonathan were Sheriff, Makarfi and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin.

Instead of calling the two combatants to address the gathering, Walid was ushered into the podium, where he also appealed to the members of the party to forget their differences.

He said he would die a member of the party, just as he pleaded with those that would attend his burial to bury his party membership card with him.

Sources at the meeting said at the closed-door session, Sheriff was alleged to have insisted that as the national chairman of the party, he was going to address the audience.

It was gathered that he insisted that Makarfi would not speak since his committee had been sacked by the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division.

His proposal was said to have been rejected by the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who allegedly insisted that Makarfi should also be allowed to speak if Sheriff would speak.

A source stated, “The argument became so ferocious to the extent that Sheriff and Wike had to stand up, pointing fingers at each other while Jonathan looked with bewilderment.

“The former President tried to pacify them, but there was nothing he could do.”

He added that both the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; a former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, and a host of others, who were at the meeting also tried in vain to calm the two combatants.

At this point, the former President was said to have asked that some selected attendees should meet inside one of the rooms within the Yar’Adua Centre, where the meeting held.

Those at the secret meeting were Jonathan, Wike, Sheriff, Ekweremadu, Jibrin, Mark and the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.

Fayose was the first to come out of the secret meeting, the source added.

It was also gathered that Sheriff later emerged from the room and walked out of the larger meeting.

Sheriff, a former governor of Borno State, later spoke with journalists outside the hall of the meeting.

He said he was standing with the report of the Peace and Reconciliation Committee of the party, which is headed by the Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

The committee had, in its report, outlined ways to end the crisis and that a national convention should hold latest by June 30 in Abuja.

He said, “The party, as of today, has one national chairman, which is Ali Modu Sheriff. There is no PDP meeting that will take place under any arrangement that I will not make an opening remark as a national chairman.

“I think that Governor Dickson made a proposal, and we have accepted it. Other people have a programme to bring agenda which is not part of the proposal.

“And as a national chairman of the party, what I told you people in my office that I will not be a party to anybody using me for his personal agenda; I will not.”

When asked if he had respect for the former President who convened the meeting, Sheriff answered in the affirmative.

He said it was because of the respect that made him return to Nigeria for the meeting.

“But we have a programme, which is initiated by the Dickson committee. Anything outside that, I will not be part of it,” he added.

Among those who followed him were members of his National Working Committee, led by the Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh; and the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo.

Later, Jonathan, who spoke with journalists after the exit of Sheriff and his team, described what happened as unfortunate.

He nevertheless said the meeting would go ahead with the hope of ending the crisis in the party.

He announced that he would set up of a 40-member committee, which he said he would head.

Jonathan added that in his absence, either his former Deputy, Namadi Sambo, or Mark would stand in for him to lead the meeting.

He explained that the proposed committee would have six members of the BoT, six members to be drawn from both Sheriff and Makarfi groups, all the governors, Ekweremadu and other members from the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Nigerians still believe in PDP, says Jonathan

Meanwhile, the former President, on Thursday, submitted that Nigerians still believed in the PDP.

The former President spoke at the ongoing PDP Stakeholders Meeting in Abuja.

He stated that the former ruling party remained the only hope for the country, pleading with its members to bury their differences in order to end the crisis bedevilling it.

“We shall overcome the challenges and I can assure you that the PDP will rise again,” he said.

He added that all over the world, political parties lost elections, not because they had entirely failed, “but because in most cases, the people who gave them power in the first place, have decided to hand it over to another party in order to experience a different kind of leadership.”

He stated, “The fact that we allowed this process to take place peacefully and freely handed over power to the opposition did not only lift the profile of our party, but also elevated our country to the status of one of the world’s stable and reliable democracies.”

He listed the achievements of his party in power for 16 years.

The former President stated, “We were able to achieve this because our government really reformed the electoral and political process by giving the electoral bodies their true independence which subsequently opened up the political space for free and fair elections.

“We may have had shortcomings while in power, but we also recorded significant achievements and great milestones.

“Through purposeful leadership, we reformed our institutions, rebuilt the nation’s confidence, regained international goodwill and rekindled hope in our people.

“This is not a forum for chest-thumping but it is important we highlight some relevant initiatives of past PDP administrations.”

Jonathan added, “We transformed the entertainment industry, especially Nollywood, by not only boosting its capacities and international prominence, but also turning it into an attractive and viable sector that became an important contributor to the growth of our economy.

“We built the Kaduna-Abuja rail, the first modern rail in the country. We also pursued a successful automotive policy and established a promising industrial revolution plan.

“We equally enacted the Freedom of Information Act in order to give the people unfettered access to information on the activities of government.”

He appealed to the members of the party to work together and rebuild the PDP and strengthen it in line with the vision of its founding fathers.

He said, “We have to remind ourselves that the prolongation of the crisis in our party may have cost us so much in election fortunes in recent times.

“The loss of Edo and Ondo governorship elections is still fresh in our memory. It goes without saying that we cannot afford to have a repeat of that in the forthcoming elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states.”
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BREAKING: Makarfi's PDP Committee Is ILLEGAL - NJC Dismisses Appeal Against Sheriff, Justice Abang

BREAKING: Makarfi's PDP Committee Is ILLEGAL - NJC Dismisses Appeal Against Sheriff, Justice Abang

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Makarfi Sheriff
The National Judicial Council, NJC, has cleared Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja of any wrongdoing in his verdicts relating to the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The Council, in a letter dated March 15 and signed by its Secretary, Mr. Danladi Halilu, dismissed allegations of gross misconduct that was levelled against the Judge by the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led action of the party. 

The legal body said it found no merit in the petition the group lodged against Justice Abang. 


It will be recalled that Justice Abang had on July 29, 2016, declared the Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the PDP illegal. He held that the Committee was illegal considering that it was a product of a convention a faction of the party held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on May 21, 2016, in defiance of a subsisting court order that was made by Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, which had stopped the said convention from holding.

Justice Abang went ahead and accorded recognition to the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff leadership of the party. Meanwhile, dissatisfied with the decision of the court, Makarfi wrote a petition to the NJC dated August 25, 2016, in respect of suits Nos. FHC/ABJ/CS/439/2016 and FHC/ABH/CS/464/2016.

He accused Justice Abang of assuming appellate powers by overriding the decision of another court of the a coordinate jurisdiction. 

After due consideration of the petition, the NJC in its letter with reference number NJC/ F.3/FHC 44/VII/55 stated: “At the end of deliberations, the council found that your petition finds no merit as there was no sufficient material before the NJC to infer that the judge sat on appeal over the decision of his brother judge of coordinate jurisdiction. “The appeal, therefore, lacked merit and is subsequently dismissed”.


Makarfi Sheriff
The National Judicial Council, NJC, has cleared Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja of any wrongdoing in his verdicts relating to the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The Council, in a letter dated March 15 and signed by its Secretary, Mr. Danladi Halilu, dismissed allegations of gross misconduct that was levelled against the Judge by the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led action of the party. 

The legal body said it found no merit in the petition the group lodged against Justice Abang. 


It will be recalled that Justice Abang had on July 29, 2016, declared the Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the PDP illegal. He held that the Committee was illegal considering that it was a product of a convention a faction of the party held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on May 21, 2016, in defiance of a subsisting court order that was made by Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, which had stopped the said convention from holding.

Justice Abang went ahead and accorded recognition to the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff leadership of the party. Meanwhile, dissatisfied with the decision of the court, Makarfi wrote a petition to the NJC dated August 25, 2016, in respect of suits Nos. FHC/ABJ/CS/439/2016 and FHC/ABH/CS/464/2016.

He accused Justice Abang of assuming appellate powers by overriding the decision of another court of the a coordinate jurisdiction. 

After due consideration of the petition, the NJC in its letter with reference number NJC/ F.3/FHC 44/VII/55 stated: “At the end of deliberations, the council found that your petition finds no merit as there was no sufficient material before the NJC to infer that the judge sat on appeal over the decision of his brother judge of coordinate jurisdiction. “The appeal, therefore, lacked merit and is subsequently dismissed”.


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PDP Crisis Messy As Gov. Dickson Says Makarfi Leadership Is ILLEGAL, Asks Him To Resign ..Reveals Shocking Secrets

PDP Crisis Messy As Gov. Dickson Says Makarfi Leadership Is ILLEGAL, Asks Him To Resign ..Reveals Shocking Secrets

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Makarfi and Governor Dickson Seriake
Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has asked Senator Ahmed Makarfi and his Caretaker Committee to step down in the interest of the party.

Chairman of the PDP Reconciliation Committee made the call while speaking with newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.

He said: “When the idea of making Sheriff the National Chairman of our party was hatched, I personally kicked against it.

“I also turned down all the overtures from Sheriff because I did not believe in him and what he did.


“So now, my position is that we have to move forward. I am a politician of conviction, I am not a politician of convenience and I am not a typical Nigerian politician.

“The Makarfi-led caretaker committee should remember that it was a brainchild of the majority of the party members including I at a convention in Port Harcourt.

“I and up to 80 per cent of the population of the PDP members were for Makarfi but the unfolding events have compelled us to adopt a political resolution instead of embarking on further bickering.

“As politicians and democrats, we must first obey the constitution and all other instruments of civil rule and which includes obeying the judiciary,’’ he said.

“We had expected that the Court of Appeal would give us judgment, but it rather upheld Sheriff as the National Chairman of the party.

“Whether anybody likes Sheriff’s face or not, the Makarfi-led caretaker committee was stripped of its authority to manage the affairs of the party the day the judgment was delivered.


“In fact, as it stands now, Sheriff has started addressing issues within the party, he is the one sending names of party members contesting elections in various states.

“If there is going to be a by-election in Kaduna today, Makarfi’s home state, INEC would not accept correspondences from Makarfi any longer because his business in the party has ended,’’ he said.

Dickson said Sheriff had always been disposed to political settlement of the crisis, adding that Makarfi had remained adamant.

“So the reconciliation committee which I chair met several times to review our position in the light of the Court of Appeal’s judgment.

“The reality is that Makarfi no longer has the legal backing to carry on with the task of managing the party.

“We are aware of this quagmire, and therefore, the reconciliation committee went ahead to formulate a realistic, practical and strategic response to this reality because in the end it would be to the benefit of PDP.

“So if you said you are passionate about the survival of the party, then you should be willing to sacrifice your ambition.

“The crisis has caused us a lot, our elected officials, top notch members are decamping to even lesser parties.

“The party continues to fail Nigerians because the crisis has so far prevented it from being a sound credible opposition even in the face of bad governance in the country right now,” he said.
Makarfi and Governor Dickson Seriake
Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has asked Senator Ahmed Makarfi and his Caretaker Committee to step down in the interest of the party.

Chairman of the PDP Reconciliation Committee made the call while speaking with newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.

He said: “When the idea of making Sheriff the National Chairman of our party was hatched, I personally kicked against it.

“I also turned down all the overtures from Sheriff because I did not believe in him and what he did.


“So now, my position is that we have to move forward. I am a politician of conviction, I am not a politician of convenience and I am not a typical Nigerian politician.

“The Makarfi-led caretaker committee should remember that it was a brainchild of the majority of the party members including I at a convention in Port Harcourt.

“I and up to 80 per cent of the population of the PDP members were for Makarfi but the unfolding events have compelled us to adopt a political resolution instead of embarking on further bickering.

“As politicians and democrats, we must first obey the constitution and all other instruments of civil rule and which includes obeying the judiciary,’’ he said.

“We had expected that the Court of Appeal would give us judgment, but it rather upheld Sheriff as the National Chairman of the party.

“Whether anybody likes Sheriff’s face or not, the Makarfi-led caretaker committee was stripped of its authority to manage the affairs of the party the day the judgment was delivered.


“In fact, as it stands now, Sheriff has started addressing issues within the party, he is the one sending names of party members contesting elections in various states.

“If there is going to be a by-election in Kaduna today, Makarfi’s home state, INEC would not accept correspondences from Makarfi any longer because his business in the party has ended,’’ he said.

Dickson said Sheriff had always been disposed to political settlement of the crisis, adding that Makarfi had remained adamant.

“So the reconciliation committee which I chair met several times to review our position in the light of the Court of Appeal’s judgment.

“The reality is that Makarfi no longer has the legal backing to carry on with the task of managing the party.

“We are aware of this quagmire, and therefore, the reconciliation committee went ahead to formulate a realistic, practical and strategic response to this reality because in the end it would be to the benefit of PDP.

“So if you said you are passionate about the survival of the party, then you should be willing to sacrifice your ambition.

“The crisis has caused us a lot, our elected officials, top notch members are decamping to even lesser parties.

“The party continues to fail Nigerians because the crisis has so far prevented it from being a sound credible opposition even in the face of bad governance in the country right now,” he said.
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PDP Crisis: 23 State Chairmen Dump Makarfi, Pledge Loyalty To Sheriff, Agree To Partake In Dickson-Convention

PDP Crisis: 23 State Chairmen Dump Makarfi, Pledge Loyalty To Sheriff, Agree To Partake In Dickson-Convention

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Seriake Dickson and Makarfi
AS the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lingers on, 23 state chairmen of the party have called for an end to the leadership tussle, which has plagued the opposition party in the past 10 months.

The chairmen, who expressed support for the National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, urged him to step up efforts to end the crisis.

The state chairmen, who met in Abuja on Friday night, also expressed support for a political solution to the crisis, noting that if the leadership crisis were not resolved early enough, it would affect the party’s fortunes in the 2019 general election.


A communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the Bayelsa State PDP chairman, Moses Cleopas, his Federal Capital Territory (FCT) counterpart, Yunusa Suleiman, and 21 others, said their support for Sheriff was in respect   of the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt division, which pronounced him the leader of the party. 
  
The communique, which was read by Suleiman, added that their support for Sheriff was without prejudice to the appeal filed by the PDP National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi against the judgment at the Supreme Court.

The communique read: “The Peoples Democratic Party Chapter Chairmen are very concerned about the crisis engulfing the party as it is degenerating into several members decamping from the party across the nation.

  “Bearing in mind the upcoming Presidential Election timeline recently announced by the INEC as well as other elections fast approaching, and as key political actors of the polity, we cannot sit back and allow our party denigrate to this level and have thus decided to come forward and proffer solutions to this crisis.

  “In line with the only template presented by the Peace and Reconciliation Committee of our party headed by Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, Governor of Bayelsa State, we wish to state that we support the recommendation that a political solution is the best and only solution to our crisis without prejudice to the on going judicial processes.

  “We are also in support of the committees’ recommendation of an all inclusive unity convention to be held as soon as possible.”

  The chairmen further noted: “We as legitimately elected chairmen wish to state on the grounds of clarity that we shall never be in support or be a part of any thought of tinkering with the option of leaving the PDP and forming another party.

“We shall at all times align ourselves to any judicial pronouncement of a higher jurisdiction on this matter. We call upon all party leaders and members to make the necessary sacrifices to ensure the survival of the party at this critical period of our history.

“We also call upon the National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sherriff and the National Working Committee (NWC) to abide by the recommendations of the Peace and Reconciliation Committee for the sake of our great party.

As a group, we shall continue to engage the party leadership and all relevant stakeholders with a view to having a hitch-free convention and call upon all leaders and party members to work towards the realisation of this objective.”
Seriake Dickson and Makarfi
AS the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lingers on, 23 state chairmen of the party have called for an end to the leadership tussle, which has plagued the opposition party in the past 10 months.

The chairmen, who expressed support for the National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, urged him to step up efforts to end the crisis.

The state chairmen, who met in Abuja on Friday night, also expressed support for a political solution to the crisis, noting that if the leadership crisis were not resolved early enough, it would affect the party’s fortunes in the 2019 general election.


A communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the Bayelsa State PDP chairman, Moses Cleopas, his Federal Capital Territory (FCT) counterpart, Yunusa Suleiman, and 21 others, said their support for Sheriff was in respect   of the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt division, which pronounced him the leader of the party. 
  
The communique, which was read by Suleiman, added that their support for Sheriff was without prejudice to the appeal filed by the PDP National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi against the judgment at the Supreme Court.

The communique read: “The Peoples Democratic Party Chapter Chairmen are very concerned about the crisis engulfing the party as it is degenerating into several members decamping from the party across the nation.

  “Bearing in mind the upcoming Presidential Election timeline recently announced by the INEC as well as other elections fast approaching, and as key political actors of the polity, we cannot sit back and allow our party denigrate to this level and have thus decided to come forward and proffer solutions to this crisis.

  “In line with the only template presented by the Peace and Reconciliation Committee of our party headed by Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, Governor of Bayelsa State, we wish to state that we support the recommendation that a political solution is the best and only solution to our crisis without prejudice to the on going judicial processes.

  “We are also in support of the committees’ recommendation of an all inclusive unity convention to be held as soon as possible.”

  The chairmen further noted: “We as legitimately elected chairmen wish to state on the grounds of clarity that we shall never be in support or be a part of any thought of tinkering with the option of leaving the PDP and forming another party.

“We shall at all times align ourselves to any judicial pronouncement of a higher jurisdiction on this matter. We call upon all party leaders and members to make the necessary sacrifices to ensure the survival of the party at this critical period of our history.

“We also call upon the National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sherriff and the National Working Committee (NWC) to abide by the recommendations of the Peace and Reconciliation Committee for the sake of our great party.

As a group, we shall continue to engage the party leadership and all relevant stakeholders with a view to having a hitch-free convention and call upon all leaders and party members to work towards the realisation of this objective.”
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SHOCK As PDP Set To Sell Off Party To Raise Fund; Ministerial, Other Appointments For Sale To Highest Bidder In Secret Report

SHOCK As PDP Set To Sell Off Party To Raise Fund; Ministerial, Other Appointments For Sale To Highest Bidder In Secret Report

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The crisis-ridden Peoples Democratic Party, PDP faction of Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi faction may have concluded plan to sell off the party to the highest bidder in it quest to raise fund to finance the party.

A Prof. Jerry Gana-led high-powered committee set up to revamp the fortunes of the Peoples Democratic Party has submitted a report that recommended the party to sell its membership and also restrict senior government positions and other perks to the highest bidder, report according to Punch Newspaper details


The new move which may throw the fractious party into a new crisis has reportedly been endorsed by the leadership of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi faction, which also set up the committee, reliable sources withing the party confirmed to our source

Being the biggest faction of the two factions fighting for the soul of the former ruling party as it has the support of an overwhelming number of former governors, ministers and power brokers, however suffered a major setback at the courts recently when the other faction led by former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, was declared as the authentic executive of the party. The Makarfi faction has however, challenged the decision of the Court of Appeal at the Supreme Court.

The Prof. Jery Gana-led committee, which has 201 members is moving around the country,  distributing copies of the report to prominent members of the party, Punch Newspaper reports

Among those who are said to have received it are former President Goodluck Jonathan; a former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih; and a former National Security Adviser; Gen. Mohammed Gusau (retd.) Some other members of the BoT and the national caretaker committee have also collected copies of the document, sources say.

The report, which was seen by our correspondent during the week, groups the party’s membership into six categories in descending order of members’ financial contributions. Those in the highest categories are to have special benefits based on their financial contributions to the party.

The categories are: Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, Standard and Students in Tertiary Institutions.

According to the report, male members of the party who desire to be Platinum members are to pay N500,000 a year or N50,000 monthly instalments while women are to pay half the amount.

The benefits accruing to those in this category include “opportunities to attend the expanded national caucus meetings of the party, be invited to social and political events of the party with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the national chairman of the party.”

Members in this category are also to contribute and participate in the formulation of key policy decisions for the next general election.

“Consideration shall be given to platinum card-carrying members for appointment into boards of Federal Government-owned parastatals, agencies, ministerial appointments as well as other benefits that accrue to the party,” the report says.

Other perks, the report says, “are inclusive, but not limited to procurements, contracts and projects (awards) at all levels of the party governance structure.”

For those in the diamond category, they are expected to pay N250,000 (men) or N200,000 (women) annually to the party.

The document also states that diamond card-carrying members will enjoy most of the privileges associated with those in the Platinum group.

The report adds that those in diamond category “will (however) not be eligible for consideration into the membership of Board of Trustees as well as contest for the position of President and national party offices as the national chairman, deputy national chairman and national secretary.”

Gold card members will be expected to pay N200,000 (men) or N100,000 (women) minimum a year. They are expected to enjoy the benefits accruing to those in the diamond card category.

Holders of Silver cards in the party, according to the document, are expected to contribute N100,000 (men) or N50,000 (women) per annum to the party.

But they will not enjoy contracts from the government or be allowed to contest for national offices or be considered for appointment as ministers.

However, Silver members may be considered for commissionership appointments as well as other benefits that may accrue to the party such as “procurements, contracts and projects” at the state levels of the party’s governance structures.

Members who cannot afford to part with the sums quoted above will be asked to cough out N3,000 (men) and N2,000 (women) annually. However, they will only be allowed to contest for public posts at the local government and ward levels. Those in this category are called “Standard membership” card holders.

Student membership is planned to be free, but the document says it will be limited to “students in tertiary institutions approved by the Federal Ministry of Education.”

In his reaction, the National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, said the cash-for-membership plan would not work, adding that the party was not for sale. Sheriff added that the plan of the Makarfi-led caretaker committee was to handover the party to the rich.

Speaking through the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Bernard Mikko, the former Governor of Borno State said, “That idea won’t work. We are talking and planning to handover the party to the people, yet some people are secretly planning an alliance to hijack it.

“The PDP is not for sale. We won’t allow it to happen. The party is for ordinary Nigerians who are committed to its ideals and not for a few, who are desperate to hijack it.”

Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, also condemned the new membership plan.

“The committee should stop misrepresenting us. It is going about dishing out the report to eminent members of our party without authorisation,” he said.

But the spokesperson for the Makarfi faction, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, disagreed with the critics of the new plan, saying that it would be wrong for anyone to say that the committee was not serving the interest of the party.

Interestingly, the party’s thinkers would still like to have a situation where government funds political parties. In the report, the Gana-led committee said the Federal Government should continue to fund political parties.

It said, “It has been established that political parties all over the world are funded by governments of their various countries. This was also in practice in Nigeria before a PDP-controlled National Assembly stopped it.

“Public funding of political parties made it morally right for INEC to audit political parties’ assets since most of the funds came from the government. It is hereby recommended that the PDP should collaborate with other political parties to amend the Electoral Law to restore regular funding of political parties by the government.”

The committee further recommended that the party should invest five per cent of its annual income in commercial companies. In order to make more money, the committee said the party must establish companies that would bid for contracts as well.

The report said, “It is recommended that five percent of the party’s income be invested in reputable fund managers and blue-chip companies such as pension funds, treasury bills, bonds, telecommunications companies, oil companies etc. NEC should determine such companies from time to time.

“It is further recommended, if approved by the appropriate organs of the party, to establish PDP incorporated organisations to handle party investments and also bid for contracts.”
The crisis-ridden Peoples Democratic Party, PDP faction of Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi faction may have concluded plan to sell off the party to the highest bidder in it quest to raise fund to finance the party.

A Prof. Jerry Gana-led high-powered committee set up to revamp the fortunes of the Peoples Democratic Party has submitted a report that recommended the party to sell its membership and also restrict senior government positions and other perks to the highest bidder, report according to Punch Newspaper details


The new move which may throw the fractious party into a new crisis has reportedly been endorsed by the leadership of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi faction, which also set up the committee, reliable sources withing the party confirmed to our source

Being the biggest faction of the two factions fighting for the soul of the former ruling party as it has the support of an overwhelming number of former governors, ministers and power brokers, however suffered a major setback at the courts recently when the other faction led by former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, was declared as the authentic executive of the party. The Makarfi faction has however, challenged the decision of the Court of Appeal at the Supreme Court.

The Prof. Jery Gana-led committee, which has 201 members is moving around the country,  distributing copies of the report to prominent members of the party, Punch Newspaper reports

Among those who are said to have received it are former President Goodluck Jonathan; a former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih; and a former National Security Adviser; Gen. Mohammed Gusau (retd.) Some other members of the BoT and the national caretaker committee have also collected copies of the document, sources say.

The report, which was seen by our correspondent during the week, groups the party’s membership into six categories in descending order of members’ financial contributions. Those in the highest categories are to have special benefits based on their financial contributions to the party.

The categories are: Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, Standard and Students in Tertiary Institutions.

According to the report, male members of the party who desire to be Platinum members are to pay N500,000 a year or N50,000 monthly instalments while women are to pay half the amount.

The benefits accruing to those in this category include “opportunities to attend the expanded national caucus meetings of the party, be invited to social and political events of the party with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the national chairman of the party.”

Members in this category are also to contribute and participate in the formulation of key policy decisions for the next general election.

“Consideration shall be given to platinum card-carrying members for appointment into boards of Federal Government-owned parastatals, agencies, ministerial appointments as well as other benefits that accrue to the party,” the report says.

Other perks, the report says, “are inclusive, but not limited to procurements, contracts and projects (awards) at all levels of the party governance structure.”

For those in the diamond category, they are expected to pay N250,000 (men) or N200,000 (women) annually to the party.

The document also states that diamond card-carrying members will enjoy most of the privileges associated with those in the Platinum group.

The report adds that those in diamond category “will (however) not be eligible for consideration into the membership of Board of Trustees as well as contest for the position of President and national party offices as the national chairman, deputy national chairman and national secretary.”

Gold card members will be expected to pay N200,000 (men) or N100,000 (women) minimum a year. They are expected to enjoy the benefits accruing to those in the diamond card category.

Holders of Silver cards in the party, according to the document, are expected to contribute N100,000 (men) or N50,000 (women) per annum to the party.

But they will not enjoy contracts from the government or be allowed to contest for national offices or be considered for appointment as ministers.

However, Silver members may be considered for commissionership appointments as well as other benefits that may accrue to the party such as “procurements, contracts and projects” at the state levels of the party’s governance structures.

Members who cannot afford to part with the sums quoted above will be asked to cough out N3,000 (men) and N2,000 (women) annually. However, they will only be allowed to contest for public posts at the local government and ward levels. Those in this category are called “Standard membership” card holders.

Student membership is planned to be free, but the document says it will be limited to “students in tertiary institutions approved by the Federal Ministry of Education.”

In his reaction, the National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, said the cash-for-membership plan would not work, adding that the party was not for sale. Sheriff added that the plan of the Makarfi-led caretaker committee was to handover the party to the rich.

Speaking through the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Bernard Mikko, the former Governor of Borno State said, “That idea won’t work. We are talking and planning to handover the party to the people, yet some people are secretly planning an alliance to hijack it.

“The PDP is not for sale. We won’t allow it to happen. The party is for ordinary Nigerians who are committed to its ideals and not for a few, who are desperate to hijack it.”

Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, also condemned the new membership plan.

“The committee should stop misrepresenting us. It is going about dishing out the report to eminent members of our party without authorisation,” he said.

But the spokesperson for the Makarfi faction, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, disagreed with the critics of the new plan, saying that it would be wrong for anyone to say that the committee was not serving the interest of the party.

Interestingly, the party’s thinkers would still like to have a situation where government funds political parties. In the report, the Gana-led committee said the Federal Government should continue to fund political parties.

It said, “It has been established that political parties all over the world are funded by governments of their various countries. This was also in practice in Nigeria before a PDP-controlled National Assembly stopped it.

“Public funding of political parties made it morally right for INEC to audit political parties’ assets since most of the funds came from the government. It is hereby recommended that the PDP should collaborate with other political parties to amend the Electoral Law to restore regular funding of political parties by the government.”

The committee further recommended that the party should invest five per cent of its annual income in commercial companies. In order to make more money, the committee said the party must establish companies that would bid for contracts as well.

The report said, “It is recommended that five percent of the party’s income be invested in reputable fund managers and blue-chip companies such as pension funds, treasury bills, bonds, telecommunications companies, oil companies etc. NEC should determine such companies from time to time.

“It is further recommended, if approved by the appropriate organs of the party, to establish PDP incorporated organisations to handle party investments and also bid for contracts.”
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PDP Crisis: Why I Recognize Sheriff As Chairman - Gov. Dickson Breaks Silence At Last; ...Says Makarfi Group Are Liars, Propagandists

PDP Crisis: Why I Recognize Sheriff As Chairman - Gov. Dickson Breaks Silence At Last; ...Says Makarfi Group Are Liars, Propagandists

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Governor Seriake Dickson and Makarfi
Bayelsa State Governor and Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) National Reconciliation Committee, Seriake Dickson, has broken his silence on the raging crisis in the party.

He described negative comments which trailed submission of his committee report to the party’s national executive as “mere propaganda.” 

Dickson came under attack from supporters of Senator Ahmed Makafi’s National Caretaker Committee,  after he recently submitted a template for peace, including a proposal for the party convention to National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.


Speaking for the first time, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, yesterday, Dickson said rather than embark on name-calling, propaganda and outright lies, it was time the party come together in the interest of peace. 

He said despite sacrifices made by him and members of the body, 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 has any idea as to how to take the party out of the current crisis to proffer their own solutions, instead of seeking to pull down the little gains that have been made by the committee. 

Dickson, who explained that he never supported the court’s decision on Sheriff, insisted that since the Appeal Court has recognised him as national chairman, the law has to be obeyed and dialogue initiated to resolve issues. 

“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. 

 “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 amicable solution; to come out of where we are, rally round ourselves and form a bond like never before since the Independent National Electoral Commission (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 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.”

Source: The Sun
Governor Seriake Dickson and Makarfi
Bayelsa State Governor and Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) National Reconciliation Committee, Seriake Dickson, has broken his silence on the raging crisis in the party.

He described negative comments which trailed submission of his committee report to the party’s national executive as “mere propaganda.” 

Dickson came under attack from supporters of Senator Ahmed Makafi’s National Caretaker Committee,  after he recently submitted a template for peace, including a proposal for the party convention to National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.


Speaking for the first time, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, yesterday, Dickson said rather than embark on name-calling, propaganda and outright lies, it was time the party come together in the interest of peace. 

He said despite sacrifices made by him and members of the body, 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 has any idea as to how to take the party out of the current crisis to proffer their own solutions, instead of seeking to pull down the little gains that have been made by the committee. 

Dickson, who explained that he never supported the court’s decision on Sheriff, insisted that since the Appeal Court has recognised him as national chairman, the law has to be obeyed and dialogue initiated to resolve issues. 

“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. 

 “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 amicable solution; to come out of where we are, rally round ourselves and form a bond like never before since the Independent National Electoral Commission (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 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.”

Source: The Sun
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PDP In Messier Mess As N50m Secret Monthly Gift, $1m, Jeep's Corrupt Counter-allegations Further Tear Party Apart

PDP In Messier Mess As N50m Secret Monthly Gift, $1m, Jeep's Corrupt Counter-allegations Further Tear Party Apart

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SHERIFF AND MAKARFI
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Chairman of the party’s Caretaker Committee, Ahmed Makarfi, yesterday engaged in accusations and counter-accusations over the leadership of the party.

While the Sheriff group alleged that governors elected on the platform of the party gave the Makarfi committee N50 million monthly subvention, the latter accused Sheriff of receiving jeeps and $1 million from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Federal Government.


This is coming at a time the National Reconciliation Committee of the PDP, chaired by Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, yesterday released the submitted report to the media.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, Sheriff,  who spoke through his deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojoughoh, also accused Makarfi of frustrating reconciliation in the PDP, as, according to him, he wants to use his position as caretaker chairman to advance his 2019 presidential ambition.

He said the caretaker committee chairman had become jittery because organs of the party were joining the peace process in the PDP.

According to him, “the reason the caretaker committee is protesting is that they have seen that the table is now crumbling fast under their feet.

“All the organs of the party are keying into the reconciliation and when the reconciliation pulls through, they are out and Senator Makarfi can only come as member of the BoT.  And so the N50 million monthly subvention from the governors will stop. They get subvention from the governors every month and when reconciliation happens, that subvention will stop.

“Secondly, 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 the presidency of the country. We are very mindful that we are not going to tie our party around any individual.”

However, the caretaker committee dismissed the allegation as cheap propaganda and “lie from the pit of hell.”

The spokesman of the caretaker committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, challenged Sheriff to first address the allegation by Governor Ayodele Fayose that  he received $1 million from the Federal Government to organise a convention, before making any wild allegations. 

He added: “Dr. Cairo (Ojougboh) should tell us which APC governor, minister or official bought jeeps for them?”

Adeyeye said it was clear to all critical stakeholders in the party that the committee, since its inception in May last year, has been struggling financially. He said if there was anyone who wanted to use his position to pursue a personal ambition, it was Sheriff, as the caretaker committee is ready to quit at any time the organs of the party wants it.

The spokesman said although the committee got financial support from the governors, National Assembly members and other party chiefs, it still struggled to meet its financial obligations to the staff because the funds were not enough.

Adeyeye added that it was better to get support from party members instead of outsiders, noting that PDP belongs to all the members and as such there is nothing wrong if the members finance the party.

His words: “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 has, 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. It is a selfless service. It is, therefore, a figment of his imagination to say that the governors give the National Caretaker Committee N50 million monthly. 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.

“Be that as it may, we want to say that the party belongs to all its members – governors, former governors, National Assembly members, former National Assembly members, presidents, former president, etc. All of them are free to make contribution to its running, as it is not a personal empire of anybody or the National Caretaker Committee.

“There is, therefore, nothing illegal or untoward in receiving contributions from party members. Our only regret is that these contributions have not been forthcoming as expected, giving 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 Progressives Congress (APC), as is the case with Senator Sheriff and his cohorts.

“Governor Fayose has also made a public allegation that Senator Sheriff has received the sum of $1 million from the APC to organise a new convention. Senator Sheriff is yet to publicly refute the allegation.”

Meanwhile, the National Reconciliation Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chaired by Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, yesterday released the submitted report to the media through a published advertorial. 

The Dickson-led committee on Tuesday last week submitted its report to Sheriff, with a proposition that he should hold convention as soon as possible.

The committee also stressed the need for a template that would culminate into a “unity national convention.”

Dickson, who read the resolution of the committee in its report, during a visit to the PDP national secretariat, restated its commitment to the pursuit of a political solution, as the best option for resolving the on-going challenges facing the party without prejudice to the on-going judicial process.

“We hope that our party will have the opportunity to put behind us needless crisis, which has engulfed the party since last year. Many of our leaders are impatient to see us come back together and once again represent the people of Nigeria,” he stated.

The committee, according to him, proposed that the convention planning committee should have seven state governors, seven senators, including the Deputy Senate President, 12 members of the House of Representatives, six members of PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) and six National Vice Chairmen (one per zone).

Others are three state chairmen per zone (18), six serving Speakers of the state Houses of Assembly, six former governors, former presiding officers of the National Assembly (who are still members of the party), six prominent women leaders, six PDP youth leaders, six former ministers of the party and 12 others to be nominated by the National Chairman, in consultation with stakeholders.

The committee also resolved that the convention committee shall be responsible for the conduct of the elections to all national offices of the party, including the zoning of such offices.

Dickson said: “As part of the sacrifice to be made in order to reposition the party, the committee is of the view that all national officers who may claim that their tenure still subsists beyond the proposed convention are hereby requested to relinquish their claim in the interest of the party. 

“For the purpose of the convention, all officers elected at the ward, local, state and zonal levels before the first Port Harcourt convention of May 21, 2016 are deemed validly elected, except for the election held in some states that were declared by NEC as inconclusive.

“The proposed national convention should hold as soon as possible and not later than June 30, 2017. The committee shall continue to engage the party leadership and all relevant stakeholders with a view to having a hitch free convention and calls upon all and sundry to work towards the realisation of this objective.”
SHERIFF AND MAKARFI
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Chairman of the party’s Caretaker Committee, Ahmed Makarfi, yesterday engaged in accusations and counter-accusations over the leadership of the party.

While the Sheriff group alleged that governors elected on the platform of the party gave the Makarfi committee N50 million monthly subvention, the latter accused Sheriff of receiving jeeps and $1 million from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Federal Government.


This is coming at a time the National Reconciliation Committee of the PDP, chaired by Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, yesterday released the submitted report to the media.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, Sheriff,  who spoke through his deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojoughoh, also accused Makarfi of frustrating reconciliation in the PDP, as, according to him, he wants to use his position as caretaker chairman to advance his 2019 presidential ambition.

He said the caretaker committee chairman had become jittery because organs of the party were joining the peace process in the PDP.

According to him, “the reason the caretaker committee is protesting is that they have seen that the table is now crumbling fast under their feet.

“All the organs of the party are keying into the reconciliation and when the reconciliation pulls through, they are out and Senator Makarfi can only come as member of the BoT.  And so the N50 million monthly subvention from the governors will stop. They get subvention from the governors every month and when reconciliation happens, that subvention will stop.

“Secondly, 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 the presidency of the country. We are very mindful that we are not going to tie our party around any individual.”

However, the caretaker committee dismissed the allegation as cheap propaganda and “lie from the pit of hell.”

The spokesman of the caretaker committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, challenged Sheriff to first address the allegation by Governor Ayodele Fayose that  he received $1 million from the Federal Government to organise a convention, before making any wild allegations. 

He added: “Dr. Cairo (Ojougboh) should tell us which APC governor, minister or official bought jeeps for them?”

Adeyeye said it was clear to all critical stakeholders in the party that the committee, since its inception in May last year, has been struggling financially. He said if there was anyone who wanted to use his position to pursue a personal ambition, it was Sheriff, as the caretaker committee is ready to quit at any time the organs of the party wants it.

The spokesman said although the committee got financial support from the governors, National Assembly members and other party chiefs, it still struggled to meet its financial obligations to the staff because the funds were not enough.

Adeyeye added that it was better to get support from party members instead of outsiders, noting that PDP belongs to all the members and as such there is nothing wrong if the members finance the party.

His words: “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 has, 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. It is a selfless service. It is, therefore, a figment of his imagination to say that the governors give the National Caretaker Committee N50 million monthly. 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.

“Be that as it may, we want to say that the party belongs to all its members – governors, former governors, National Assembly members, former National Assembly members, presidents, former president, etc. All of them are free to make contribution to its running, as it is not a personal empire of anybody or the National Caretaker Committee.

“There is, therefore, nothing illegal or untoward in receiving contributions from party members. Our only regret is that these contributions have not been forthcoming as expected, giving 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 Progressives Congress (APC), as is the case with Senator Sheriff and his cohorts.

“Governor Fayose has also made a public allegation that Senator Sheriff has received the sum of $1 million from the APC to organise a new convention. Senator Sheriff is yet to publicly refute the allegation.”

Meanwhile, the National Reconciliation Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chaired by Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, yesterday released the submitted report to the media through a published advertorial. 

The Dickson-led committee on Tuesday last week submitted its report to Sheriff, with a proposition that he should hold convention as soon as possible.

The committee also stressed the need for a template that would culminate into a “unity national convention.”

Dickson, who read the resolution of the committee in its report, during a visit to the PDP national secretariat, restated its commitment to the pursuit of a political solution, as the best option for resolving the on-going challenges facing the party without prejudice to the on-going judicial process.

“We hope that our party will have the opportunity to put behind us needless crisis, which has engulfed the party since last year. Many of our leaders are impatient to see us come back together and once again represent the people of Nigeria,” he stated.

The committee, according to him, proposed that the convention planning committee should have seven state governors, seven senators, including the Deputy Senate President, 12 members of the House of Representatives, six members of PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) and six National Vice Chairmen (one per zone).

Others are three state chairmen per zone (18), six serving Speakers of the state Houses of Assembly, six former governors, former presiding officers of the National Assembly (who are still members of the party), six prominent women leaders, six PDP youth leaders, six former ministers of the party and 12 others to be nominated by the National Chairman, in consultation with stakeholders.

The committee also resolved that the convention committee shall be responsible for the conduct of the elections to all national offices of the party, including the zoning of such offices.

Dickson said: “As part of the sacrifice to be made in order to reposition the party, the committee is of the view that all national officers who may claim that their tenure still subsists beyond the proposed convention are hereby requested to relinquish their claim in the interest of the party. 

“For the purpose of the convention, all officers elected at the ward, local, state and zonal levels before the first Port Harcourt convention of May 21, 2016 are deemed validly elected, except for the election held in some states that were declared by NEC as inconclusive.

“The proposed national convention should hold as soon as possible and not later than June 30, 2017. The committee shall continue to engage the party leadership and all relevant stakeholders with a view to having a hitch free convention and calls upon all and sundry to work towards the realisation of this objective.”
Tags:

PDP Crisis ESCALATES As Fayose, Makarfi Fight Gov. Dickson, Feel Betrayed, Vow To Flush-out Sheriff ...They're INTRUDERS - Sheriff

PDP Crisis ESCALATES As Fayose, Makarfi Fight Gov. Dickson, Feel Betrayed, Vow To Flush-out Sheriff ...They're INTRUDERS - Sheriff

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sheriff and fayose
Amidst recent compromised reportedly reached to resolve the lingering differences, which led to Governor Dickson's committee submission of it report to the legally recognised Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, the protracted Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership crisis escalated yesterday as Caretaker Committee Chairman Ahmed Makarfi vowed to flush out court-backed party chair Ali Modu Sheriff.

But Sheriff insists that he means well for the PDP. He has accepted the recommendations of the Governor Seriake Dickson-led Reconciliation Committee for a national convention tentatively fixed for June 30.


The two factions made their positions known at separate media briefings in Abuja.

Fayose is angry with Dickson for his role as the chairman of the party’s Reconciliation Committee which has submitted a report to National Chairman Ali Modu Sheriff.

The PDP Governors’ Forum chairman, who is a supporter of National Caretaker Committee Chair Ahmed Makarfi, maintained that there cannot be any meaningful reconciliation with Sheriff as the party boss.

Fayose alleged that “well over $1 million had been provided by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to fund the convention being planned by the Sheriff-led National Working Committee (NWC).

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose who said he was reacting in his capacity as Ekiti State governor, faulted the submission of the report without recourse to appropriate organs of the party.

Fayose said: “All constitutionally-recognised organs of the party, including staff of the national secretariat,  are with the Markafi-led Caretaker Committee and since political party is about membership, Sheriff will continue to carry with himself the burden of lack of legitimacy.”

“I respect Governor Dickson, he is my brother and he is entitled to his own personal opinion just as I am entitled to mine.”

Also, Makarfi camp spokesman Dayo Adeyeye said it would be a disaster for the party to allow Sheriff preside over the planned convention.

Describing Sheriff as “a snake under the party’s roof”, Adeyeye said the Caretaker Committee, in agreement with all organs and stakeholders in the PDP, would deploy all legal means to ensure that Sheriff is chased out of the party.

Asking Sheriff to stop parading himself as the chairman of the PDP, the Makarfi camp pointed out that the spirit and letter of the February  17 judgment of the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal did not confer the chairmanship on the ex-Borno State Governor.

Said Adeyeye: “To buttress this, the general public will also recall that the judgment of the Appeal Court, Port Harcourt Division of Friday, February 17, 2017 that nullified the national convention of May 21, 2016 limited itself solely to the legality or otherwise of the National Convention of May 21st, 2016 and not on the legality or otherwise of the appointment of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the Acting National Chairman of the PDP.

“Firstly, let us remind the public of our earlier calls on Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to stop parading himself as Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the judgement of an Abuja High Court delivered by Justice Valentine Ashi on June 29, 2016 in which the court nullified the 2014 Amendment to the PDP Constitution that produced Senator Sheriff as Acting National Chairman of the PDP.

“This judgment was never appealed by Senator Sheriff and the time frame stipulated by law for the appeal has elapsed and, as such, the judgment subsists.

“Another judgment delivered on August 17, 2016 by Justice Nwamaka Ogbonnaya of the FCT High Court in Abuja reaffirmed the ‘sack’ of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the chairman of the PDP on the ground that the judgment of Justice Valentine Ashi, which nullified his appointment, has not been set aside or vacated and therefore it’s subsisting.

“Justice Ogbonnaya further held that all actions taken by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff are null, void and of no effect; and the Order further restrained him from parading himself as the Acting National Chairman of the party.

“Once again, he is currently an illegal Acting National Chairman, given the decisions of the courts, the constitution of the PDP, decision of the National Convention coupled with his act of breaking and entering into the national secretariat of our great party.

“It is interesting to note that Senator Sheriff is very much aware of the binding implication of the subsisting judgments on his ‘status’ as national chairman because we have been reliably informed that he is now seeking the leave of court to appeal the judgment. But, unfortunately, time is against this latter move. So, he is an illegal national chairman”.

Ruling out any possibility of reconciliation with Sheriff, the Makarfi camp said there are more disturbing issues that could ultimately forestall efforts by stakeholders to unite Sheriff with the party.

But Sheriff has continued to restate his pledge to rebuild and unite the party, saying that in line with the recommendations of the Dickson Committee, he would be convening the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in the days ahead.

According to him, it is only NEC that can approve preparation for the national convention after deliberations.

Sheriff said: “From today, I am going to meet with all the organs of the party and collect their list of membership with a view to picking their members to be part of the convention committee.

“We are going to contact the National Assembly caucus, the Board of Trustees and other stakeholders. We are writing them formally on that, so that we can collect the specific number of nominees that are required.”

He also hinted of plans to organise congresses in Oyo, Kwara, Sokoto, Lagos and Anambra states where attempts to conduct the exercise in 2016 collapsed.

But the Makarfi camp dismissed the Sheriff camp’s plan with a wave of the hand, saying that none of the stakeholders would respond to its overtures. It called on party members in those states to boycott the congresses in case Sheriff decides to conduct same.

Adeyeye said: “All the party organs and stakeholders are with us and none of them will respond to this deception. There is no way Sheriff would be allowed to conduct a convention for the PDP. It is at the convention that everybody would see his true self. He is an agent of the ruling party.

“We wish to use this opportunity to inform and clarify to our members and teeming supporters nationwide that the PDP has no standing ‘Reconciliation Committee’ chaired by the Governor of Bayelsa State, Rt. Hon. Seriake Dickson.

“However, we respect our Governor, Seriake Dickson and acknowledge his effort towards holding the next national convention. But he acted hastily and presented the proposal in error to Senator Sheriff.”

According Adeyeye, the four ad-hoc committees set up by the party for the botched May 21, 2016 Port Harcourt convention ceased to exist. The ad hoc committees were inaugurated by Sheriff.

Adeyeye listed the committees to include the National Convention Planning Committee, chaired by the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, with Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State as Deputy Chairman and Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State as Secretary; the Reconciliation Committee is chaired by the Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Henry Seriake Dickson, with Senator Ibrahim Mantu as the Deputy Chairman;  and Finance Committee, chaired by the Governor of Gombe State, Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, with Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Deputy Chairman.

The Zoning Committee is chaired by the Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State. Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State Mr. Kelechi Igwe is the Secretary.

“These committees were inaugurated by Senator Sheriff as the Acting National Chairman on April 5, 2016 to carry out their specific roles in line with the directives of the 69th NEC for a hitch-free national convention in May 2016.

“That Reconciliation Committee was constituted to reconcile aggrieved party members before the National Convention in Port Harcourt”, he added.

The Caretaker Committee said it would continue to work with all the organs of the party to for reconciliation efforts that will bring lasting peace to the PDP, to the exclusion of Sheriff.

Listing conditions for a way forward, the Caretaker Committee called on Sheriff to vacate the party secretariat immediately or risked being forced out by security agencies.

“Given the lawless and untoward behavior of Senator Sheriff so far, it appears that there will be no meeting point in this matter. However, without prejudice to the appeal suit before the Supreme Court challenging the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal, the National Caretaker Committee working for the organs of the party and the people is not averse to reconciliation processes that may result in a workable ‘political solution’ as proposed by the Governors’ Forum with the former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“The present illegally constituted NWC, led by Senator Sheriff, must stop operations on behalf of the party immediately. We want to state unequivocally that the party will not hold any national convention under the leadership of Senator Sheriff.

“We are determined to pursue the matter before the Supreme Court conclusively in the interest of justice, equity, fair play and democracy in general.

“Finally, we call on all our members, teeming supporters and all lovers of democracy to be calm and continue to support the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee in its quest to return our great party to the people in line with the ideals of our founding fathers.

“It is indeed our desire to rebuild, revive and revitalise the PDP in collaboration with all the organs and structures of the party that will culminate in a well-deserving, all-inclusive and participatory national convention very soon.

“We enjoin you all to not despair because surely, justice shall be served; and we will reposition our party to reclaim government in 2019,” Adeyeye stated.

But Sheriff said he would not join issues with his traducers,  particularly Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State who has been his most virulent critic.

Said he: “Let me make it clear to some of the party members, particularly, Gov. Ayo Fayose that I will not condescend to his level. It must be very clear to him that the party has rules, and we will look at the constitution, at the appropriate time to do the right time.

“He has made it a point of duty to be insulting Ali Sheriff everyday. I want to tell him that enough is enough. Belonging to a political party is by choice. Yes, you may have a right, but your right should not trample on another person’s right. Political party is a voluntary association.

“If you are a leader of a political party, we have to allow people to have their choice of leadership. In all these things we are doing, we believe that PDP belongs to all Nigerians. We believe that PDP must be handed over to the owners.

“The owners of the party must be allowed to do the right thing. That does not mean a sign of weakness. PDP that has produced 28 governors, today has 12. If we allow impunity to continue, Nigerians have the right to reject our party. You can take a horse to the river but you cannot force it to drink water.

“We can make this party attractive to everybody. We want to reposition the party so that it can win elections. Nobody hasý the monopoly to do what they are doing, as if we don’t have the rule of law”
sheriff and fayose
Amidst recent compromised reportedly reached to resolve the lingering differences, which led to Governor Dickson's committee submission of it report to the legally recognised Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, the protracted Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership crisis escalated yesterday as Caretaker Committee Chairman Ahmed Makarfi vowed to flush out court-backed party chair Ali Modu Sheriff.

But Sheriff insists that he means well for the PDP. He has accepted the recommendations of the Governor Seriake Dickson-led Reconciliation Committee for a national convention tentatively fixed for June 30.


The two factions made their positions known at separate media briefings in Abuja.

Fayose is angry with Dickson for his role as the chairman of the party’s Reconciliation Committee which has submitted a report to National Chairman Ali Modu Sheriff.

The PDP Governors’ Forum chairman, who is a supporter of National Caretaker Committee Chair Ahmed Makarfi, maintained that there cannot be any meaningful reconciliation with Sheriff as the party boss.

Fayose alleged that “well over $1 million had been provided by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to fund the convention being planned by the Sheriff-led National Working Committee (NWC).

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose who said he was reacting in his capacity as Ekiti State governor, faulted the submission of the report without recourse to appropriate organs of the party.

Fayose said: “All constitutionally-recognised organs of the party, including staff of the national secretariat,  are with the Markafi-led Caretaker Committee and since political party is about membership, Sheriff will continue to carry with himself the burden of lack of legitimacy.”

“I respect Governor Dickson, he is my brother and he is entitled to his own personal opinion just as I am entitled to mine.”

Also, Makarfi camp spokesman Dayo Adeyeye said it would be a disaster for the party to allow Sheriff preside over the planned convention.

Describing Sheriff as “a snake under the party’s roof”, Adeyeye said the Caretaker Committee, in agreement with all organs and stakeholders in the PDP, would deploy all legal means to ensure that Sheriff is chased out of the party.

Asking Sheriff to stop parading himself as the chairman of the PDP, the Makarfi camp pointed out that the spirit and letter of the February  17 judgment of the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal did not confer the chairmanship on the ex-Borno State Governor.

Said Adeyeye: “To buttress this, the general public will also recall that the judgment of the Appeal Court, Port Harcourt Division of Friday, February 17, 2017 that nullified the national convention of May 21, 2016 limited itself solely to the legality or otherwise of the National Convention of May 21st, 2016 and not on the legality or otherwise of the appointment of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the Acting National Chairman of the PDP.

“Firstly, let us remind the public of our earlier calls on Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to stop parading himself as Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the judgement of an Abuja High Court delivered by Justice Valentine Ashi on June 29, 2016 in which the court nullified the 2014 Amendment to the PDP Constitution that produced Senator Sheriff as Acting National Chairman of the PDP.

“This judgment was never appealed by Senator Sheriff and the time frame stipulated by law for the appeal has elapsed and, as such, the judgment subsists.

“Another judgment delivered on August 17, 2016 by Justice Nwamaka Ogbonnaya of the FCT High Court in Abuja reaffirmed the ‘sack’ of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the chairman of the PDP on the ground that the judgment of Justice Valentine Ashi, which nullified his appointment, has not been set aside or vacated and therefore it’s subsisting.

“Justice Ogbonnaya further held that all actions taken by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff are null, void and of no effect; and the Order further restrained him from parading himself as the Acting National Chairman of the party.

“Once again, he is currently an illegal Acting National Chairman, given the decisions of the courts, the constitution of the PDP, decision of the National Convention coupled with his act of breaking and entering into the national secretariat of our great party.

“It is interesting to note that Senator Sheriff is very much aware of the binding implication of the subsisting judgments on his ‘status’ as national chairman because we have been reliably informed that he is now seeking the leave of court to appeal the judgment. But, unfortunately, time is against this latter move. So, he is an illegal national chairman”.

Ruling out any possibility of reconciliation with Sheriff, the Makarfi camp said there are more disturbing issues that could ultimately forestall efforts by stakeholders to unite Sheriff with the party.

But Sheriff has continued to restate his pledge to rebuild and unite the party, saying that in line with the recommendations of the Dickson Committee, he would be convening the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in the days ahead.

According to him, it is only NEC that can approve preparation for the national convention after deliberations.

Sheriff said: “From today, I am going to meet with all the organs of the party and collect their list of membership with a view to picking their members to be part of the convention committee.

“We are going to contact the National Assembly caucus, the Board of Trustees and other stakeholders. We are writing them formally on that, so that we can collect the specific number of nominees that are required.”

He also hinted of plans to organise congresses in Oyo, Kwara, Sokoto, Lagos and Anambra states where attempts to conduct the exercise in 2016 collapsed.

But the Makarfi camp dismissed the Sheriff camp’s plan with a wave of the hand, saying that none of the stakeholders would respond to its overtures. It called on party members in those states to boycott the congresses in case Sheriff decides to conduct same.

Adeyeye said: “All the party organs and stakeholders are with us and none of them will respond to this deception. There is no way Sheriff would be allowed to conduct a convention for the PDP. It is at the convention that everybody would see his true self. He is an agent of the ruling party.

“We wish to use this opportunity to inform and clarify to our members and teeming supporters nationwide that the PDP has no standing ‘Reconciliation Committee’ chaired by the Governor of Bayelsa State, Rt. Hon. Seriake Dickson.

“However, we respect our Governor, Seriake Dickson and acknowledge his effort towards holding the next national convention. But he acted hastily and presented the proposal in error to Senator Sheriff.”

According Adeyeye, the four ad-hoc committees set up by the party for the botched May 21, 2016 Port Harcourt convention ceased to exist. The ad hoc committees were inaugurated by Sheriff.

Adeyeye listed the committees to include the National Convention Planning Committee, chaired by the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, with Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State as Deputy Chairman and Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State as Secretary; the Reconciliation Committee is chaired by the Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Henry Seriake Dickson, with Senator Ibrahim Mantu as the Deputy Chairman;  and Finance Committee, chaired by the Governor of Gombe State, Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, with Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Deputy Chairman.

The Zoning Committee is chaired by the Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State. Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State Mr. Kelechi Igwe is the Secretary.

“These committees were inaugurated by Senator Sheriff as the Acting National Chairman on April 5, 2016 to carry out their specific roles in line with the directives of the 69th NEC for a hitch-free national convention in May 2016.

“That Reconciliation Committee was constituted to reconcile aggrieved party members before the National Convention in Port Harcourt”, he added.

The Caretaker Committee said it would continue to work with all the organs of the party to for reconciliation efforts that will bring lasting peace to the PDP, to the exclusion of Sheriff.

Listing conditions for a way forward, the Caretaker Committee called on Sheriff to vacate the party secretariat immediately or risked being forced out by security agencies.

“Given the lawless and untoward behavior of Senator Sheriff so far, it appears that there will be no meeting point in this matter. However, without prejudice to the appeal suit before the Supreme Court challenging the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal, the National Caretaker Committee working for the organs of the party and the people is not averse to reconciliation processes that may result in a workable ‘political solution’ as proposed by the Governors’ Forum with the former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“The present illegally constituted NWC, led by Senator Sheriff, must stop operations on behalf of the party immediately. We want to state unequivocally that the party will not hold any national convention under the leadership of Senator Sheriff.

“We are determined to pursue the matter before the Supreme Court conclusively in the interest of justice, equity, fair play and democracy in general.

“Finally, we call on all our members, teeming supporters and all lovers of democracy to be calm and continue to support the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee in its quest to return our great party to the people in line with the ideals of our founding fathers.

“It is indeed our desire to rebuild, revive and revitalise the PDP in collaboration with all the organs and structures of the party that will culminate in a well-deserving, all-inclusive and participatory national convention very soon.

“We enjoin you all to not despair because surely, justice shall be served; and we will reposition our party to reclaim government in 2019,” Adeyeye stated.

But Sheriff said he would not join issues with his traducers,  particularly Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State who has been his most virulent critic.

Said he: “Let me make it clear to some of the party members, particularly, Gov. Ayo Fayose that I will not condescend to his level. It must be very clear to him that the party has rules, and we will look at the constitution, at the appropriate time to do the right time.

“He has made it a point of duty to be insulting Ali Sheriff everyday. I want to tell him that enough is enough. Belonging to a political party is by choice. Yes, you may have a right, but your right should not trample on another person’s right. Political party is a voluntary association.

“If you are a leader of a political party, we have to allow people to have their choice of leadership. In all these things we are doing, we believe that PDP belongs to all Nigerians. We believe that PDP must be handed over to the owners.

“The owners of the party must be allowed to do the right thing. That does not mean a sign of weakness. PDP that has produced 28 governors, today has 12. If we allow impunity to continue, Nigerians have the right to reject our party. You can take a horse to the river but you cannot force it to drink water.

“We can make this party attractive to everybody. We want to reposition the party so that it can win elections. Nobody hasý the monopoly to do what they are doing, as if we don’t have the rule of law”
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PDP Crisis: Gov. Dickson 'Betrayed' Us; I'm Shocked - Makarfi ... New Twist Springs

PDP Crisis: Gov. Dickson 'Betrayed' Us; I'm Shocked - Makarfi ... New Twist Springs

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AHMED MAKARFI AND FAYOSE
The chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi has expressed displeasure with Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state.

Makarfi’s anger at Dickson stemmed from the publicity given the governor’s presentation of a committee report to the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff on Tuesday.

Among others, the said report contained recommendations for the conduct of a national convention, tentatively fixed for June 30.

that Scattered My Relationship For 2years.. Click HERE for Details

In a statement he circulated in Abuja on Wednesday, Makarfi faulted the Bayelsa Governor for making the report public without consultation with relevant stakeholders.

According to him, the governor spurned advice to circulate and consult widely with key organs and stakeholders, adding that the said report was still subject to review and amendment.

Makarfi said Dickson presented him with a draft of the report and that he had advised the governor to ensure proper consultation and effect some changes before making it public.

“I am shocked and disappointed that the Gov. of Bayelsa made public presentation of a purported report approved or endorsed by us and other stakeholders as reported.

“He met me yesterday (Tuesday) and I pointed out the problems with his proposals. That it will go against even the Court of Appeal Judgement.

“At the end, I told him as Caretaker Committee, whatever is approved by the organs of the party that we represent, we will work with and I advised him to revert back to his colleagues and other organs. But this is what we are seeing.

“Be that as it may, the Committee never saw any draft report even though he promised coming with it. In any case, as personal advice, I referred him back to the organs of the party and the Goodluck Jonathan Committee. There was nothing before us from organs of the party to accept or reject”.


Among those listed as members of the Convention Planning Committee include seven serving governors, seven serving senators, 12 members of the House of Reps, six members of the BoT and six national vice chairmen.

Others include 18 zonal chairmen, six Speakers of state assemblies; six former governors, former presiding officers of the National Assembly, six prominent Women Leaders, six youth leaders and six former ministers.

AHMED MAKARFI AND FAYOSE
The chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi has expressed displeasure with Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state.

Makarfi’s anger at Dickson stemmed from the publicity given the governor’s presentation of a committee report to the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff on Tuesday.

Among others, the said report contained recommendations for the conduct of a national convention, tentatively fixed for June 30.

that Scattered My Relationship For 2years.. Click HERE for Details

In a statement he circulated in Abuja on Wednesday, Makarfi faulted the Bayelsa Governor for making the report public without consultation with relevant stakeholders.

According to him, the governor spurned advice to circulate and consult widely with key organs and stakeholders, adding that the said report was still subject to review and amendment.

Makarfi said Dickson presented him with a draft of the report and that he had advised the governor to ensure proper consultation and effect some changes before making it public.

“I am shocked and disappointed that the Gov. of Bayelsa made public presentation of a purported report approved or endorsed by us and other stakeholders as reported.

“He met me yesterday (Tuesday) and I pointed out the problems with his proposals. That it will go against even the Court of Appeal Judgement.

“At the end, I told him as Caretaker Committee, whatever is approved by the organs of the party that we represent, we will work with and I advised him to revert back to his colleagues and other organs. But this is what we are seeing.

“Be that as it may, the Committee never saw any draft report even though he promised coming with it. In any case, as personal advice, I referred him back to the organs of the party and the Goodluck Jonathan Committee. There was nothing before us from organs of the party to accept or reject”.


Among those listed as members of the Convention Planning Committee include seven serving governors, seven serving senators, 12 members of the House of Reps, six members of the BoT and six national vice chairmen.

Others include 18 zonal chairmen, six Speakers of state assemblies; six former governors, former presiding officers of the National Assembly, six prominent Women Leaders, six youth leaders and six former ministers.

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PDP Crisis: Makarfi Group Surrenders, Recognises Sheriff As Chairman ...Gov. Dickson Submits Convention Report To Sheriff

PDP Crisis: Makarfi Group Surrenders, Recognises Sheriff As Chairman ...Gov. Dickson Submits Convention Report To Sheriff

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PDP Crisis Over As Makarfi Group Surrenders, Recognises Sheriff As Chairman
The leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has finally come to an end with the recognition of Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff as the National Chairman of the party by the Senator Ahmed Makarfi faction of the party.

This came to light on Tuesday during the submission of a report of the party’s reconciliation committee to Senator Modu-Sheriff by the chairman of the committee, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

The Makarfi faction also agreed that Modu-Sheriff should chair the convention of the party being proposed for June 30.


Speaking with newsmen after submitting the report, Governor Dickson said political solution is the best option in resolving the party’s crisis, adding that litigation would continue to cause more divisions in the party.

Responding to a question on who would preside over the convention, Dickson said that the Court of Appeal judgment which upheld Modu-Sheriff as the National Chairman of the PDP had already taken care of the question.

“If you go to the Appeal Court or Supreme Court and get judgment, you will still conduct a national convention, so political solution is be best option.’’

Responding after receiving the report, Sheriff said that the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) would look into the report with a view to implementing its recommendations.

“Looking at what you are proposing, in my mind, you have taken all the stakeholders of the party into consideration. There is no section of the party that you have left behind.

“If we as a people given the responsibility are to do this, we may not do better than this.

According to him, whatever amendment that will be done to the recommendations will be made available to the reconciliation committee and Nigerians.

Sheriff added that he was ready to conduct the national convention even if given one month to do so.

In the report, the reconciliation committee recommended that the party holds its national convention not later than June 30.

The committee also proposed that the convention planning committee should consist of seven PDP governors; seven senators including the deputy senate president, as well as 12 members of the House of Representatives.

Dickson, who read out some of the recommendations, said the committee also proposed that six members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), the state chairmen of zones, and six serving speakers of the State Houses of Assembly should be included in the planning committee.

“This should also include six former governors; former presiding officers of the National Assembly who are still members of the party; six prominent women leaders.

“Others are six youth leaders; six former ministers of the party and 12 others to be nominated by the national chairman in consultation with stakeholders of the party.

“We also proposed that the convention committee shall be responsible for the conduct of the elections into all national offices of the party including the zoning of such offices,’’ Dickson said

Dickson said that the committee proposed that national officers who may claim that their tenure‎ still subsists beyond the proposed convention, had been requested to relinquish their claim in the interest of the party.

He said the committee views the proposal as part of the sacrifice to be made in order to reposition the party.

Dickson expressed the hope that the convention would enable the party to move forward.

PDP Crisis Over As Makarfi Group Surrenders, Recognises Sheriff As Chairman
The leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has finally come to an end with the recognition of Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff as the National Chairman of the party by the Senator Ahmed Makarfi faction of the party.

This came to light on Tuesday during the submission of a report of the party’s reconciliation committee to Senator Modu-Sheriff by the chairman of the committee, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

The Makarfi faction also agreed that Modu-Sheriff should chair the convention of the party being proposed for June 30.


Speaking with newsmen after submitting the report, Governor Dickson said political solution is the best option in resolving the party’s crisis, adding that litigation would continue to cause more divisions in the party.

Responding to a question on who would preside over the convention, Dickson said that the Court of Appeal judgment which upheld Modu-Sheriff as the National Chairman of the PDP had already taken care of the question.

“If you go to the Appeal Court or Supreme Court and get judgment, you will still conduct a national convention, so political solution is be best option.’’

Responding after receiving the report, Sheriff said that the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) would look into the report with a view to implementing its recommendations.

“Looking at what you are proposing, in my mind, you have taken all the stakeholders of the party into consideration. There is no section of the party that you have left behind.

“If we as a people given the responsibility are to do this, we may not do better than this.

According to him, whatever amendment that will be done to the recommendations will be made available to the reconciliation committee and Nigerians.

Sheriff added that he was ready to conduct the national convention even if given one month to do so.

In the report, the reconciliation committee recommended that the party holds its national convention not later than June 30.

The committee also proposed that the convention planning committee should consist of seven PDP governors; seven senators including the deputy senate president, as well as 12 members of the House of Representatives.

Dickson, who read out some of the recommendations, said the committee also proposed that six members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), the state chairmen of zones, and six serving speakers of the State Houses of Assembly should be included in the planning committee.

“This should also include six former governors; former presiding officers of the National Assembly who are still members of the party; six prominent women leaders.

“Others are six youth leaders; six former ministers of the party and 12 others to be nominated by the national chairman in consultation with stakeholders of the party.

“We also proposed that the convention committee shall be responsible for the conduct of the elections into all national offices of the party including the zoning of such offices,’’ Dickson said

Dickson said that the committee proposed that national officers who may claim that their tenure‎ still subsists beyond the proposed convention, had been requested to relinquish their claim in the interest of the party.

He said the committee views the proposal as part of the sacrifice to be made in order to reposition the party.

Dickson expressed the hope that the convention would enable the party to move forward.

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