'No peace unless Makarfi-led committee resigns,' says PDP factional leader

dimeji akinloye

July 19, 2016 3:54 AM

Sheriff had earlier at a peace meeting organised to resolve the crisis in the party ruled out the possibility of truce outside the court verdict.

Factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),

He said the committee has no place in the PDP constitution, therefore should be dissolved.

He stated this in Abuja on Monday, July 19, when he hosted a delegation of party members from the 17 local governments in Abia state.

Sheriff had earlier at a peace meeting organised to resolve the crisis in the party ruled out the possibility of truce outside the court verdict, insisting the committee must go.

Instead, he proposed that he should be allowed to nominate a chairman, and 10 persons into the new convention committee.

“People are very interested in our party and how the impasse will be settled before the Port Harcourt convention which was aborted by a court order,” he said.

“Yes, we have met and issues were discussed but all the issues I put forward for them was for the Makarfi-led caretaker committee to resign.

“It is an aberration as far as our party constitution is concern. I told them that I am not ready to be a permanent chairman but I want the party to be placed in proper stead.

“If he resigns tomorrow, I will ask the members of my NWC whose tenure still lasts to 2018, including myself, to set up a convention committee in Abuja and put respected members into the committee.

“In that convention, I will give away my mandate, which does not expire until 2018.

“If the leaders of our party feel that we can find a solution without exhausting the court process, then I am open to it; we can find a political solution.

“I have given the people the opportunity to see ‎that Sheriff is not the problem. The problem is that some people want to make the party their personal property and that will not happen under Sheriff.”

However, an Ogun State Senator, Buruji Kashamu, has urged Sheriff to embrace peace in the interest of the party and members alike.

READ: Sheriff, Makarfi still at war

The lawmaker said since Sheriff said he is not interested in remaining as the party's chairman, he should have no problem encouraging all his supporters to participate in the process leading to the rescheduled August 17 convention.

Kashamu, who is believed to be Sheriff's godfather, said the factional leader has proved that he is a principled and a courageous person.

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