The National Chairman of the People’s
Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji All Modu Sheriff has ruled out stepping
down as one of the options in the search for political solution to the
party’s leadership crisis.
Key stakeholders in the party have
been harping on a vague concept of “political solution” without being
explicit on details of the concept.
Sheriff was reacting to a
media report indicating that former President Goodluck Jonathan had
asked him and the rival Caretaker Committee chairman, Senator Ahmed
Makarfi to step down and allow the party’s governors to nominate another
chairman.
In a statement Thursday signed on his behalf by his
appointed party spokesman, Mr. Bernard Mikko, Sheriff said the issue of
resignation did not come up during his meeting with former President
Goodluck Jonathan last week.
The statement said, “The general
public, PDP members and the media are hereby informed that the issue of
the National Chairman’s resignation as the political solution has never
been discussed nor was it put up for discussion with the former
President and other stakeholders.
“The general public, PDP
members nationwide and the media are hereby informed that shortly before
the Court of Appeal judgement of 17th February, 2017; all parties and
stakeholders agreed that on the receipt of the Court of Appeal
judgement, whichever way it goes; members will be prevailed upon and
urged to support the judgement and orders of the Court of Appeal and
rally round the successful party to conduct; as soon as possible a
national unity convention for the election of officers; the modalities
of which shall be worked out by all stakeholders of the party.
“As
law abiding citizen and advocate of the rule of law, the National
Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff hereby calls on all stakeholders
including but not limited to PDP governors; national and state assembly
members; Board of Trustee members to make themselves available and give
their input on how we can; as quickly as possible conduct a national
unity convention where our national officers will be elected. The
National Chairman has promised and undertaken not to contest”.
Efforts
by our correspondent to get the reaction of the Makarfi camp did not
yield results. Repeated telephone calls and SMS messages to the
spokesman of the Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye were left
unanswered.
Also Thursday, another reconciliation committee of
the party, headed by Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, met with
some party leaders and some PDP National Assembly members in Abuja.
A
statement signed by Dickson after the meeting also harped on the need
to find a political solution to the crisis, describing it as the best
option.
The Dickson committee endorsed the resolution reached by
Jonathan and the governors, “without prejudice to the ongoing judicial
processes”. The statement said, “As part of this process, it is
imperative that an early convention within the second quarter of 2017
should be held in Abuja, which therefore should be all inclusive and
where new national officials of the party will be freely, fairly and
transparently elected.
“In furtherance of this, the
reconciliation committee shall embark on extensive consultations with
all stakeholders with a view to building confidence and necessary
consensus toward the unity convention”. “The committee, however,
appeals to all party leaders and members of PDP to exercise restraint
and focus on the loyalty to and the overall interest of the party”. Meanwhile,
Sheriff Thursday announced Dr. Ahmed Gulak, a former Political Adviser
to former President Jonathan as his Chief of Staff, with the appointment
taking immediate effect
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