Following the recent Supreme Court ruling which confirmed the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, as the authentic chairman of the party, thereby removing Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the national chairman of the party, some leaders and members of the party are now raising dust over plans by the Makarfi leadership to initiate reconciliation with the Sheriff faction.
This is as former ministers on the platform of the PDP rose from a crucial meeting in Abuja on Thursday with a declaration that the next national chairman of the party must emerge by merit, stressing that the era of impunity and exclusivity is over.
Findings by The Daily Times correspondent showed that while some members of the party are favourably disposed to the idea of Senator Makarfi going for reconciliation with Sheriff and other members of his group, others are strongly of the view that no such thing should take place.
It would be recalled that since the Supreme Court pronounced Senator Makarfi as the authentic and legally recognised chairman of the PDP, he has been harping on the need for reconciliation within all members of the party. The NCC Chairman promised to embark on aggressive reconciliation among all members of the party.
Makarfi pointed out that the sacked National Chairman, Senator Sheriff, and his loyalists among others would be granted amnesty by his leadership.
Makarfi, at a recent press conference addressed on his behalf by the National Publicity Secretary of the NCC, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said: “Our hands are extended to all those on the other side. We will grant general amnesty to everybody. We have declared no victor, no vanquished. We want to give them full embrace and cooperate with them.”
Speaking in another forum, the NCC Chairman vowed to reach out to all members of the party who left before and after the 2015 general election to return to the party.
He spoke when he played host to the PDP women’s forum, who paid him a courtesy call at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Makarfi pointed out that the reconciliation move of the party was beyond the recent leadership crisis with Senator Ali Modu Sheriff. He said: “We have a lot of work to do with regards to reconciliation. Talking about reconciliation in general terms not recent events of recent past.
“We need to go back to 2015 and before then. We will meet with party members who left the party. “We need to expand and get new members. We will not just take PDP to where it used to be.
We want PDP to go beyond what it used to be,” he said. However, reacting to the Supreme Court judgment which recognised Makarfi as the authentic leader of the PDP, Senator Sheriff vowed to collaborate with global anti-corruption networks to bring all corrupt politicians in Nigeria to book.
Sheriff pointed out that all PDP members having criminal cases bothering on dishonesty and malfeasance would also be brought to book.
The former PDP National Chairman, whose position was declared illegal by the nation’s apex court, in a statement by Hon. Bernard Mikko, who was the acting National Publicity Secretary of his faction, declared that never again will corrupt politicians use the platform of the nation’s major political institutions to rise to stardom.
Those who are kicking against reconciliation between Makarfi and Sheriff are of the opinion that the latter had done more damage to the party and as such should not go unpunished. A member of the NCC, who sought anonymity, told our correspondent, “Majority of us are of the strong opinion that the PDP does not need people like Sheriff.
He has done more damage to the party than good. He made us to lose the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states among others.
How can we reconcile with such a person?” Meanwhile, rising from a meeting in Abuja, on Thursday, former PDP ministers noted that the new leadership of the party that is expected to emerge from the anticipated elective convention must be by merit.
Chairman of the forum and former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, while briefing newsmen after their meeting, said their conviction is that the best candidate should emerge as the chairman of the party.
This is even as Sen. Makarfi, on Thursday, declared that new entrants into the party will not enjoy special privileges. Makarfi, who spoke when he played host to the PDP Rescue Group at the party’s National secretariat in Abuja, said the decision was aimed at avoiding the mistakes made by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The group was led by former governor of old Gongola State, Wilberforce Jutta, who pledged loyalty to the Makarfi-led leadership. Makarfi said: “We are open to reconciling with everybody.
We are open to accepting new entrants into the party, but no special privileges for anybody coming into the party. “That is not an issue to be contemplated.
No exclusivity. It will be inclusive without any special privilege to anybody or group of individuals. “That’s how APC got it wrong. We should learn from how APC got it wrong.
What we need to do is that we will create a level-playing field. And that we don’t lord it over those who have slaved for the party.
“The party must evolve mechanism for dedicated and loyal party men and women.
That’s how people can remain committed. But if there is none, people can question themselves why do you have to continue exhibiting such loyalty and commitment to the party.
“People can as well also be nomadic politicians and migrate to where the pasture is greener for whatever reasons. In some African countries, we didn’t hear of this kind of mobility. But in Nigeria, we are nomadic politicians.
We have many nomadic politicians and they should behave well. They will be welcomed but I stand by what I have said earlier.” Explaining why the Forum of former PDP Minister are insisting on merit in picking the next party chairman, Tanimu Turaki stated that the party is replete with credible members who can serve as national chairman, saying, “We will support meritocracy. We have gotten to a level where Nigerians consciousness has been awakened.
We intend to look for the best.” He added that they are not averse to the zoning arrangement which has zoned the national chairmanship to the entire South in line with the zoning of the party’s presidency to the entire North.
The former minister however noted that party leaders from South can micro zone the chairmanship to any part of the region they wish, just as leaders from the North can also agree to zone the presidency to any part in the region.
While stressing that former ministers will financially support the current party leadership ahead of the convention, he added that what the party needs ahead of 2019 is vibrant leadership to provide virile opposition to APC government.
He stated that the era of impunity and lack of inclusivity in the party is over, noting that it is now open for all members of credible standing to participate. However, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said the PDP can reclaim states in South West in 2019 provided they remain united.
He lamented that the loss of those states was because of the internal crisis that rocked the party in that region, adding that the victory secured by the APC in the states of the region were minority votes.
The opposition party spokesman however noted that the peace effort in Anambra State is already yielding fruits, adding that a substantive caretaker committee for the state will emerge next week.
