Tag: PDP crisis

PDP Crisis: Jonathan Celebrates Party, Says No Losers Or Winners

Former President, Goodluck Jonathan has celebrated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over what he termed a successful resolution of the leadership crisis that rocked the Party.

This follows the Supreme Court’s verdict delivered on Wednesday that declared the Makarfi caretaker committee legal, hence sacking Ali-Modu Sherriff as the Party’s National Chairman.

The former President took to twitter to express his gladness over the resolution, saying that there are no losers or winners as the Party has a heart large enough to accommodate all Nigerians.

“I congratulate my political Party, the PDP, on the successful resolution of its leadership crisis by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“I believe in our jurists. We may have issues with some individuals but the Nigerian judiciary deserves respect and commendation.

“Today’s verdict is a judgment where there are no winners or losers. It is a verdict that will bring our party together.

Read Also: Supreme Court Declares Makarfi Committee Legal

“As I congratulate the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee, I strongly urge them not to see this as a victory of a section of the party but as a moral victory of constitutionality over arbitrariness.

“Thus, they must take inspiration from General Yakubu Gowon and declare a ‘no victor and no vanquished policy’.

“I hereby call on all those who left the party because of its leadership issues to return to their natural home and build the PDP.

“The PDP is an inclusive vehicle not an exclusive one. We see Nigerians as human beings deserving of the rule of law, separation of powers and a free market economy that provides a level playing ground for all.

“The party that gave Nigeria the largest economy in Africa is a Party whose heart is large enough to find a place for all Nigerians.

“I thank God for this day of Justice and may God bless Nigeria,” he stated.

Makarfi’s Refusal To Step Down Is Hampering Reconciliation – Gulak

ahmed-gulakA chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says reconciliation of the factions in the party was scuttled by the chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, whom he said had not given his consent to a reconciliation requirement.

Giving his opinion on the crisis in the party, Mr Ahmed Gulak, said that Senator Makarfi had, at a reconciliation meeting, refused to accept the condition that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and himself should step down for a fresh start.

The PDP chieftain said that Senator Sheriff, whom he said is still the chairman of the party, had accepted to step down, but Senator Makarfi’s refusal has scuttled the whole process.

He insisted that reconciliation was the way forward.

“We must come together to be able to focus on 2019.

“All members should bury their ambitions and build the party before anybody’s ambition. When the party is strong people can declare their ambitions.

“Sheriff and Markarfi were called and sheriff agreed to step aside but Makarfi refused, saying he must consult with some governors.

“If it is the intention of these governors and Makarfi that this party should remain united, then the needful should be done,” he said.

On the leadership of the party, Mr Gulak insisted that “the authentic chairman of the party as of now is Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

“A court of competent jurisdiction has pronounced that only Senator Sheriff can parade himself as the national chairman of the party. The same court barred Senator Makarfi Caretaker Committee from parading themselves as the caretaker committee acting for and on behalf of the party.

“The simple reason is, no gathering can pass a national convention when there is a subsisting court order barring the party from conducting a convention or electing principle officers,” he explain.

On the chances of the PDP putting a strong opposition against the ruling party in coming elections, Mr Gulak said that “in few weeks, you will see the vibrant opposition that the PDP will give the APC”.

“We are trying to pick the pieces to rebuild,” he added.

PDP Calls Ali Modu Sheriff, Others ‘Agents Of Darkness’

Sheriff, Ali Modu-Sheriff, PDP, Makarfi,The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria has described the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction of the party as agents of darkness, insisting that the former Governor of Borno State is not the Chairman of the party.

In a statement on Monday, the opposition party said its attention had been drawn to “another set of garbage and tissues of lies put together by the discredited loyalists of Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff in the name of a press statement”.

The party stated that the ‘group’, which it described as non-PDP members, had in the statement tried to sustain it’s illegal claim to the leadership of the Party, but insisted that it would not leave them to continue to deceive Nigerians.

The statement by the spokesman for the party, Dayo Adeyeye, read: “The National Caretaker Committee, which has been confirmed severally by the Courts as the authentic body saddled with the responsibility of providing leadership for the Party pending the hosting of an elective Convention, would have ignored the ranting of these men of dishonour but leaving them to continue deceiving Nigerians at this time would not be in the interest of democracy.

“First and foremost, we wish to state categorically that in consonance with Judgement of various Courts, which Ali Modu-Sheriff and his team of confused travellers have not bothered to appeal, the former Borno State Governor is not the Chairman of our Party, the PDP.

“His consistent claim to the Office is a continuation of the plans to cause mayhem in our Party but nature and fair justice has taken care of his desperation”.

Non-PDP Members

The PDP further stated that “it is amusing that these musketeers could be accusing the National Caretaker Committee of being the reason why the Party is facing challenges in terms of unfavourable election results especially in Edo and Ondo States when it’s not a secret to all Nigerians that these group of non-PDP members were the ones who frustrated the Party on all fronts.

“It is common knowledge that Mr Jimoh Ibrahim whom they pushed as front at the Ondo Poll before the Appelate Courts reversed the anomaly, openly campaigned for their Party, the APC.

“We are also aware of the various claims made in the Statement wherein the agents of darkness, used by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to cause confusion and frustrate our campaign for the Ondo Election, accused the Caretaker Committee of impunity”.

Enemies Of Progress

The PDP pointed out that “what they have done and are still doing is the worst form of impunity, lawlessness, greed and avarice.

“No matter what they say, we are determined as a political Party to forge ahead, and put our house in order even without their inputs.

“The National Caretaker Committee have not called for their expulsion against the claims they are making, the time for that has not come,” the party said, warning that the rain of vengeance will not hang forever in the clouds,” the party said.

It further urged its loyal members to keep the faith as the Appellate Courts would do justice to the various appeals pending before it at the appropriate time “to put an end to the antics of these enemies of progress masquerading as members of our Party”.

The party’s division become obvious when the former chairman of the party Ali Modu Sheriff was removed at a convention in Port Harcourt.

After that convention, the embattled leader secured several court orders that further scuttled unity in the party.

The extent of the division was further seen when the party produced two different candidates for the Edo State and Ondo State governorship elections.

In the latest election in Ondo, the party lost to the All Progressives Congress, a defeat that had been largely attributed to the division in the party.

 

PDP Leadership: Appeal Court Reserves Judgement In Makarfi, Sheriff Case

PDP Leadership: Appeal Court Reserves Judgement In Makarfi, Sheriff CaseThe Court of Appeal has reserved judgement to a date to be announced in the appeal filed the national chairman of the caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Markafi and the Secretary, Senator Ben Obi.

In the appeal argued by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wole Olanipekun, the appellants are asking the appellate court to set aside the judgement of federal High Court Abuja delivered on June 29, 2016 by Justice Okon Abang affirming Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the authentic national chairman of the party.

They told the tribunal that the trial judge erred in law by concluding that Sheriff was the national chairman of the party without giving them hearing before his court.

They also told the court that the action of the judge constituted a denial of fair hearing and subsequently led to a miscarriage of justice in the judgement.

Objecting to the appeal, counsel to the Sheriff faction of the party, Mr Beluolisa Nwofor, urged the court to decline jurisdiction on the ground that an appeal had been entered at the Supreme Court to challenge the decision of the Court Of Appeal which granted leave to Makarfi and Obi’s eligibility to file appeal in the case.

Counsel to the respondent, Nwofor told the panel of justices that’s since the appeal has been formally entered at the apex court and the motion for stay of proceedings also filed, it is automatic for the Appeal Court to hands off from the matter as a mark of respect to  the court hierarchy.

PDP Crisis: North East Group Asks Sheriff To Withdraw Litigations

Ondo PDP Elders Demand Justice On Primary ElectionA group of concerned Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in Nigeria’s North East region has called on Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to withdraw all pending litigations and embrace the National Caretaker Committee to pave way for new Leadership.

The PDP members from Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Taraba states made the demand after a meeting held in Bauchi, to discuss solutions to the crisis in the party.

Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the former chairman of the PDP, had filed suits against the party, challenging executive members’ decision to remove him as the chairman at a convention held in Port Harcourt.

After his removal, a caretaker committee was set up, with Senator Ahmed Makarfi picked to lead the committee.

The decision triggered rift in the party, creating two factions in all states.

But former governors, deputy governors and serving parliamentarians from the northeast are not willing to allow the division continue, a position seen in their decision to hold the Bauchi meeting.

After the meeting, Senator Sanusi Dagash read some decisions arrived at, part of which was a resolution to strengthen the zone with the creation of some committees that would ensure the actualisation of all resolution reached at the meeting.

The concerned group, according to the communique issued after the meeting, also agreed to carry out the outlined responsibilities with a view to re-positioning the PDP.

Those in attendance include former Taraba State Deputy Governor, Umar Garba, Senator Grace Ben, Senator Abdull Ningi, Professor Ahmed Rufai, AbdllMalik Mahmoud, former Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Amini Gagash, Mr Ibrahim Jalo, Mr Bunu Sherif, and the former Women Affairs Minister, Zainab Maina among others.

Others are the former Governor of Adamawa, Boni Haruna; the convener, Adamu Maina Waziri; Senator Abdul Ningi, member Rep North East, National Caretaker Committee; Garba Umar, former acting Governor of Taraba State, James Bala Ngilari, former Governor of Adamawa State; Hajiya Zainab Maina, former ministrr Women Affairs; Senator Grace Bent, Senator Adamu Gumba as well as Party Chairmen from the zone among others.

PDP Crisis: North East Group Appeals to Sheriff

PDP Crisis: North East Group Appeals to SheriffA group of concerned Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in the North East region has called on Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to withdraw all pending litigation and embrace the National Caretaker Committee to pave way for new leadership.

The group comprises Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe and Taraba states.

A communiqué, issued at the end of their meeting in Bauchi, stated that the lingering crisis in the party that led to various litigation at different courts across the nation without any immediate solution informed the gathering of the group.

“We have resolved and call on Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to withdraw all pending litigation and recognize the National Caretaker Committee in order to pave the way forward for the party to have an all-inclusive national convention that will usher in new leadership”.

The meeting also resolved to “strengthen consultations at all levels of the party towards finding amicable and workable solutions to the dispute and to deepen zonal action on the matter by engaging other zones towards repositioning the PDP as viable and active opposition platform for the overall development and progress of democracy”.

Some committees were set up towards actualization of all resolution reached which includes Central Working Committee, Contact and Mobilization as well as Strategy Committee.

The concerned group, according to the communique, also agreed to carry out the outlined responsibilities with a view to repositioning the party.

The communique was read by Aminu Dagashi and signed by the former Governor of Adamawa state, Boni Haruna.

Those in attendance include former Taraba state deputy governor, Umar Garba; former Bauchi state deputy governor, Amini Gagash, and former Women Affairs Minister, Hajia Zainab Maina.

Others are Senator Grace Ben, Senator Abdull Ningi, Professor Ahmed Rufai, Abdlmalik Mahmoud, Barrister Ibrahim Jalo, Arc Bunu Sherif, among others.

 

Balarabe Musa Blames Presidency, INEC For Ondo PDP Crisis

Ondo PDP Crisis: Balarabe Musa Accuses Presidency, INEC of ConspiracyA former governor of Kaduna state and National Chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Mr Balarabe Musa has accused the Presidency and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of being behind the controversy trailing the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primary election in Ondo state.

He alleged that the duo are responsible for the controversial emergence of Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the faction of the party in the forthcoming Ondo State governorship election.

Speaking to newsmen in Kaduna on Friday, Balarabe Musa queried INEC’s sincerity in upholding a Federal High Court judgement that brought in Jimoh Ibrahim when he did not participate in the primary election as the party’s governorship flagbearer.

He maintained that the disqualification of Mr Eyitayo Jegede whom INEC had upheld as the governorship candidate of the PDP, was designed by both the commission and Presidency to weaken the opposition party ahead of the governorship election.

He also opined that the decision by INEC to drop Jegede’s name is an orchestrated plot designed by the Presidency to set Ondo state and the South West zone on the path of anarchy.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to show statesmanship by using the instrumentality of his office as the Commander-In-Chief of the nation to resolve the Ondo PDP crisis before it gets out of hand.

The former Kaduna state governor also commended the Senate for refusing to assent to President Buhari’s 30 billion dollars loan request.

According to him, the Buhari-led administration needs to tell Nigerians the specific infrastructural projects in exact locations across the country that it intends to fund with such a huge loan.

Describing the external borrowing plan by the federal government as ill-timed and unnecessary, Musa challenged the Presidency to explain to Nigerians how much has been recovered from corrupt public officers and what it has done with such money.

PDP Factions Claim Ownership Of Secretariat In Kwara

PDP Factions Claim Ownership Of Secretariat In KwaraThere seems to be no end in sight to the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state as the Sunday Fagbemi-led executive has forcefully taken over the party’s secretariat at Asa Dam area of Ilorin.

Members of the party who are loyal to the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee of PDP were converging on the secretariat early in the morning before the factional state chairman, Sunday Fagbemi stormed the party’s secretariat amid wild jubilation by his supporters.

The jubilant PDP supporters and stalwarts were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions such as ‘Akogun Must Go’, ‘Enough Is Enough’ and ‘Fagbemi Is Kwara PDP Chairman’.

Speaking with newsmen at the secretariat, the factional state chairman, Sunday Fagbemi said that his executive committee remains the authentic leadership of the state PDP.

Fagbemi explained that his committee was duly elected at the state congress of the party, noting that the appeal committee set up by the national body of PDP also affirmed him as the state chairman in its report.

Fagbemi accused the other factional chairman, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo of fraternizing with the ruling party in the state, saying that as a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party, such act would not be condoned in the state.

In his reaction, the publicity secretary of the Iyiola Oyedepo-led executive of the Kwara PDP, Rex Olawoye, insisted that Oyedepo remains the authentic state chairman of the party.

Mr Olawoye disclosed that Iyiola Oyedepo was in Abuja attending a national meeting of the party and wondered why any group could forcefully enter the secretariat of the party when the party’s constitution stipulates normal taking over process.

He described the act as a coup and an invitation to anarchy but maintained that the PDP remains one in Kwara state and all their challenges would be surmounted in due course.

PDP Leadership Crisis: I Will Fight To The End, Ali Sheriff Says

Ali Modu Sheriff of the Peoples Democratic Party PDPThe factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, says he will fight to the end and uphold his demands in the midst of the party’s leadership crisis.

Senator Sheriff told Channels Television on Sunday that he had handed a list of his demands to the committee setup to reconcile the members.

Crisis in the party deepened after a national convention held in May led to the removal of Senator Sheriff and the setting up of caretaker committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

Open And Transparent Convention

After he was removed, Senator Sheriff dismissed the decision of the party members, insisting that a court had issued an order barring the party from holding the convention.

On Sunday, however, he stressed that he was willing to resign if the other faction would agree to hold an open and transparent convention in Abuja.

“What I want is that the convention should be an open and transparent convention held in Abuja where everybody will participate.

“I work with my principles.

“We will not let PDP to be hijacked by few people – Governor of Rivers State, [Nyesom Wike] and Governor [Ayodele] Fayose,” he stressed.

The former Governor of Borno State said he had reached an agreement with the reconciliation committee when they presented their recommendations to the him.

He stated that an agreement was reached for the convention that the party planned to hold on August 17 to be shifted.

The embattled leader of the PDP believes the other faction would go ahead with the convention, which he said would violate a court order that it should not hold.

On his alleged ambition to vie for the Presidential candidate of the party, Senator Sheriff said he had never had any discussion with anyone on the matter.

“I have never discussed with anyone about any plan to run for presidency,” he said.

Few days after his removal in May, the former spokesman for the Goodluck Jonathan political campaign team, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, alleged that Senator Sheriff had link with the Boko Haram terrorist group.

Senator Sheriff, however, denied the allegation, claiming that the Boko Haram sect killed three of his brothers.

“How can I have a link with Boko Haram. They killed three of my brothers.

“I feel sad that I was linked with Boko Haram. People I served with when I was Governor know I will never be part of such thing,” he reiterated.

The PDP lost the presidency to the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2015 election and the party has faced leadership crisis that has largely divided the party.

Senator Sheriff said the loss was as a result of impunity in the party, but still believed the party would not be destroyed.

He also dismissed claims that he holds allegiance to the ruling APC and had been planted to scuttle the opposition party from repositioning ahead of the 2019 general elections.

South-West Divided Over Candidate For PDP Chair

South-west-PDP-meeting Efforts of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-west region of Nigeria to put forward a strong candidate for the chairmanship of the party appear to have hit a brick wall on Monday.

A meeting of the leaders of the party in the region held on Monday in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, ended without agreement on who becomes the candidate for the national chairmanship position of the party.

The national leadership of the party had earlier zoned the position to the south-west and at the meeting, leaders of the party were expected to agree on a consensus candidate ahead of the national convention planned to hold on August 17 in Port Harcourt, River State.

Briefing reporters after the meeting held at the Government House of Ondo State, the factional South-west Zonal Chairman of the party, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, revealed that the chairmanship was zoned to Lagos and Ogun States, while the deputy publicity secretary position went to Osun and Oyo; and the treasurer was zoned to Ekiti and Ondo States.

One of the chairmanship aspirants, Professor Taoheed Adedoja, from Oyo State, however, disagreed with the zoning arrangement insisting that all the aspirants must be allowed to test their popularity.

Another aspirant, Mr Bode George from Lagos State commended the oneness and cohesion of the party in the zone, expressing hope that all the issues in the party would be amicably resolved.

South-west-PDP-meeting-for-chairmanship
South-west Peoples Democratic Party’s meeting held in Ondo State

Those present at the meeting include Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko and his Ekiti State Counterpart, Ayo Fayose; Mr Ebenezer Babatope.

Others are Senator Seye Ogunlewe, Senator Olusola Obada, Senator Kofo Akere Bucknor, Senator Iyiola Omisore and Rasidi Adeojo among others.

Claiming Chairmanship Position

While the plan for the convention is ongoing, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is still claiming the chairmanship position, with a court ruling in his favour.

He had approached a court to stop the party from holding the planned convention, insisting that he remained the chairman of the party.

Senator Sheriff was removed by some members of the at an earlier Convention held in May, with a caretaker committee established.

The caretaker committee has set up two committees in preparation for the planned convention.

PDP crisis
Senator Ali Modu Sheriff insists he is the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party

After Senator Sheriff’s removal, he insisted that a court order had stopped the convention from holding, an order he said led to his announcement of the convention’s postponement before he was removed by some members of the party.

His persistent claims to the leadership of the party and court orders in his favour have caused a divide in the leadership of the party.

On July 28, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja affirmed Senator Sheriff as the authentic national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to Justice Okon Abang, only actions and decisions made by the Sheriff-led leadership are lawful and binding.

He, however, said that although he had the powers to nullify the ruling of the Port Harcourt division of the Federal High Court, which recognised the Makarfi-led leadership, he would not do so because there was no application to that effect before him.

Earlier on July 27, Senator Sheriff and eight others approached the Federal High Court, Abuja for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the party from conducting the national convention slated for August 17.

The court is yet to give its verdict on the request and the Senator Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee is going ahead with plans for the proposed convention.

Jerry Gana Knocks PDP Over Crisis

Jerry Gana, PDPThe leadership of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP has received a knock from one of its own, a former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana

Professor Gana, at a forum in Abuja says the party is being run in the unhealthiest manner which is detrimental to the sustenance of the party.

The former minister wants key leaders of the party to wade into the current crisis rocking the party or else a worse crisis may hit the PDP.

“The bedrock of our democracy in the PDP is ‘Power to the People’. Let the people choose their leaders in free, fair and credible elections. We hate any manipulation and rigging of elections in any form.

“If the PDP is to be revived and remobilised for electoral victory by the grace of God, we must return to this wonderful principle of ‘power to the people’.

“We received painful reports of the poor and shamelessly undemocratic practices during the recently concluded party congresses in several states.

“After the shocking results of the last general elections in 2015, we had hoped that our leaders would have learned serious lessons to make them resolve never again to impose candidates, never again to practice impunity, never again to rig party elections, never again to take the people for granted.

“Yet we find ourselves, in our very eyes, returning to even worse things within our party,” he said.

Another chieftain of the party, Mr Bwala Inuwa, however disagrees with the former minister, saying he has little to add to the repositioning of the party, going by his recent actions.

“They seem to forget that their generation is no longer relevant to contemporary politics and that is why you did not see any politician of note amongst the gathering.

“That is why you did not see anybody coming from his constituency having gone for the party congresses because they cannot go (as) they don’t have anybody at home.

“Gone are the days of gun flaring politics, these are the days of grassroots mobilisation for support for the PDP,” he said.

PDP’s Former Ministers Demand Credible Zoning Arrangement

pdpFormer ministers in the PDP are warning the leadership of the party to adhere to the wishes of its members in the zoning and other arrangements leading up to the convention.

This comes ahead of the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in May.

Addressing journalists after a meeting that lasted for about five hours in Abuja, the Chairman of the forum, Mr Tanimu Turaki, expressed concerns over arrangements for the convention including the zoning arrangements.

He warned that if the convention is not conducted credibly and zoning arrangements done to reflect the wishes of members, the party could head for serious crisis.

“We considered extensively and reaffirmed our earlier position regarding the leadership of the party on the principle that while the minority will have their say, the majority will quite understandably have their way.

“The forum reiterates its stand that the party’s leadership should conduct transparent and credible congresses and national convention.

“We have also recognized serious concerns over the arrangements and (are) unequivocal that should the convention not produce officers of the party that reflect the will of the people, it will portend continued disaster for the party in popular national elections,” he said.

On the issue of the reported zoning of the national chairmanship of the party to the northeast, he said that members of the forum who are also in the PDP Zoning Committee have revealed that no position has been zoned to any geopolitical zone yet.