The crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
took a turn for the worse yesterday as the two factions battled for the control
of the organization’s national secretariat in Abuja.
The Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee told the Ali
Modu Sheriff-led faction that just won the suit over the leadership of the
party, to wait for a Supreme Court’s judgment before occupying Wadata Plaza,
the national secretariat of the party.
As the PDP remains torn apart by an internal crisis, the
party cannot offer a vibrant opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress
(APC) and provide alternative ideas for good governance.
The Makarfi-led caretaker committee accused the police of bias in handling issues in the party in favour of Sheriff. Addressing newsmen yesterday, the spokesman of the caretaker committee, Dayo Adeyeye, said: “We wish to remind the public that the recent Court of Appeal judgment was based on the appeal filed by Sheriff and Co. against the judgment of Justice Muhammed Liman of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt that upheld the legality and constitutionality of the May 21st 2016 national convention that took place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and the decisions arising therefrom.
“Because Sheriff claimed that he had appealed against
that judgment, the law enforcement agencies denied the national caretaker
committee and the employees access into the national secretariat. Now that the
party led by the national caretaker committee has filed an appeal against the
recent judgment, the status quo ante remains until the determination of the
appeal to the Supreme Court.
“We are calling on the police and the general public and
lovers of peace and democracy to ask Sheriff and Co. to respect the ongoing
litigation processes. The police should ensure that Sheriff and Co. do not
occupy the national secretariat in order to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
We have noticed that the police have taken sides in this matter perhaps because
of directives from the All Progressives Congress (APC), but a stitch in time
saves nine.”
Also yesterday, anti-Sheriff PDP youths stormed the party
national secretariat, urging the newly reinstated national chairman to vacate
it. But a former aide of President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak, who belonged
to the Sheriff’s faction accused the Makarfi’s faction of blackmailing the
Supreme Court ahead of its judgement.
Addressing newsmen on behalf of the Sheriff’s faction
yesterday, Gulak explained that Makarfi’s accusation that Sheriff ambition is
to become the presidential candidate of PDP in 2019 stood the truth on its
head.
He said there was an agreement by both parties not to go
to Supreme Court after the appeal. “The former Inspector General of Police,
Solomon Arase, with the consent of both factions closed the secretariat of PDP
and both sides agreed because of the conflicting court judgments, in order to
avert a breakdown of law and order.
“Both parties agreed that in order to pursue a genuine reconciliation, nobody should pursue the case again in Supreme Court. Because even if you get court victory you still need the people, so that we can have a convention where national officers will be elected.”
Gulak claimed that following the Appeal Court judgment, all
the actions taken by the Makarfi-led caretaker committee “are illegal and
cannot stand,” adding that “Sheriff is still the chairman. He will lead NWC to
hold unity convention. This party is bigger than everybody.”
In the Delta State chapter of the party, there is the
fear over an alleged plan to flush out “disloyal members.” Sherriff had,
shortly after his Appeal Court’s victory in Port Harcourt, Rivers State,
reportedly warned members of the Makarfi-led faction to join hands with him or
be shown the way out of the party.
This, sources said, informed the emergency meeting of the
party members across the 25 local government areas at the weekend in Asaba
where a decision to stand by Makarfi was taken, among others.
It was learnt that Sheriff had allegedly directed the
South South Vice Chairman of his faction, Dr. Cairo Ojuogbuo, to fish out
Makarfi supporters in Delta State who were not ready to work with him.
This was said to have ignited anger among the members
who, at a closed-door meeting with former governor, Chief James Ibori in Asaba
on Friday night, decided to stand by Makarfi.
But in a swift reaction, Ojuogbuo said that since the
Sheriff’s faction was affirmed by the Appeal Court to be authentic, members of
the Makarfi group had no option than to collapse their structure into the
Sheriff’s group.
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