- Makarfi, Sherriff agree to cease hostilities
The Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Walid Jibrin, has warned those party members fomenting troubles in the PDP to desist henceforth as the party intensifies efforts towards reconciliation and repositioning for 2019.
Jibrin, receiving the PDP National Reconciliation Committee headed by Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, commended the committee members for the job well done and for proceeding further to encourage the warring blocs in the PDP to acquiesce to cessation of hostilities in the public while the party leaders continue with the peace building process.
Jibrin had expressed the imperatives of the PDP reconciling the conflicts ravaging the party and be united again as one party platform ready to provide alternative to Nigerians in the face of the failure of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“You cannot be pursuing personal interest and causing conflict in the PDP; so, all those causing crisis in the party because of their personal interest should have a rethink; PDP is bigger than single individual,” Jibrin had declared.
Governor Dickson had explained to the PDP BoT Chairman the efforts made to get the Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sherriff’s factions to agree to peace deal which resulted to a communique providing guideline for reconciliation.
In a communique, both factions agreed to halt making public statements capable of further inflaming the crisis and agreed that they would stop activities that are capable of further weakening the party, rather than strengthen it for the challenges ahead.
The communique was jointly signed by Bernard Mikko, Acting National Publicity Secretary for the Sheriff faction, and Prince Dayo Adeyeye, National Publicity Secretary for the Makarfi team.
Ahmed Gulak, who had earlier formed another political party, Dave Iorhemba, the acting National Legal Adviser of the PDP, were said to have also signed the communique.
Former Deputy President of Senate, Ibrahim Mantu, was part of the Dickson team that fostered the agreement where the warring groups accepted to work with the National Reconciliation Committee to put an end to the prolonged crisis.
The communique indicated in part as follows: “That all actors of the party should desist from making derogatory, inflammatory and divisive statements against party officials, stakeholders and members.
“That the party should not dissipate her energy amongst itself but to focus on how to unite and be a formidable opposition capable of taking over power from the failed APC-led government.
“That all key actors in the on-going peace process should henceforth desist from making public press statements attacking each other and statements insinuating negative acts capable of dragging the party to the mud.
“In conclusion, all key actors in the PDP have agreed to work together with the National Reconciliation Committee led by Governor Seriake Dickson to engender peace and genuine reconciliation.”