Ali Modu Sheriff

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) disputed National Chairman, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, on Monday said the party did not belong to anybody.

Sheriff said this when he received a House of Representatives member, Mr Chidi Nwosu, who led a delegation of party members from the 17 local governments in Abia on a visit to him in Abuja.

He said that for peace to return to the party, the National Caretaker Committee headed by Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, should be disbanded, insisting that the committee had no place in the party’s Constitution.

It would be recalled that at a peace meeting organised to settle the rift in the party, Sheriff reportedly insisted that there would be no truce outside court verdicts, unless the national caretaker committee was disbanded.

Besides, he said that he should be allowed to ‎nominate a chairman for the party, 10 persons into the new convention committee.

He also insisted that he would nominate another 10 members from the caretaker committee to be disbanded, into an interim management committee that would operate until the new convention.

Sheriff said that he would not speak to members of the disbanded National Working Committee (NWC) “until they resign and re-present themselves for election if they so wish’’.

He said, “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.

“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.’’

Earlier, Nwosu said that the visit was necessary as Sheriff needed to look into the congresses that were not properly held in Abia and right the process.

He lamented that congresses were not being held at the state party offices anymore.

“Instead of congresses to be held at party offices they are being conducted by few powerful men who sit in their rooms and hotel accommodations and decide who will lead the party and become delegates.’’

Meanwhile, Sen. Buruji Kashamu (PDP-Ogun East) on Monday advised the Peoples Democratic Party Sheriff, to allow the rift rocking the party to be resolved.

Kashamu said this in a statement he signed and released to newsmen in Abuja.

According to him, one certain thing from the many reconciliation meetings and diplomatic shuttles is the PDP is blessed with many good leaders including Sen. Ahmed Makarfi and Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff.

Kashamu said: “Therefore, I can only plead with our great leader, Sen. Sheriff, who has been hurt, to soft-pedal and let go, in the interest of the party and our teeming members.

“He has shown that he is a principled man and a courageous person.

“Since he and Sen. Makarfi have said they are not interested in contesting for the office of National Chairman of the party at the National Convention, he should encourage all his people to participate in the process leading to the rescheduled National Convention.’’

He said it had become necessary to make certain clarifications because no-one was being dumped, disputes and disagreements were part and parcel of any dynamic organization and as true party men and women there must be room for resolution of the disputes and disagreements.

The party stalwart added that: “In effect, the two great leaders showed that they have the interest of the party at heart.

“One thing I took away from the many reconciliation meetings and diplomatic shuttles is the fact that the PDP is blessed with many good leaders among who are Sen. Ahmed Makarfi and Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff.

“Finally, I wish to enjoin all my leaders, elders, associates and supporters in the South West to join hands with all our states, zonal and national leaders to move our party forward.

“Let’s sheathe our sword; put an end to recriminations and infighting. Let’s move on in one accord as a people united under the Almighty Allah,’’ he urged. (NAN)