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
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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