Is the PDP Crisis Over ? Sheriff And Makarfi Embrace Peace

The crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nigeria’s main opposition party may have ended as the feuding parties have agreed to sheathe their swords in the interest of peace.

Recall that the party has been embroiled in leadership crisis with two factions, the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff faction and the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee, claiming leadership of the party.

However, both parties have agreed that it was time to put their differences aside and work to take back power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019 in a feat achieved by the National Reconciliation Committee of the PDP headed by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State.

The party in a communique, on Thursday, signed by both factions agreed to halt the current practice of 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 Bernard Mikko, the factional PDP Acting National Publicity Secretary for Sheriff’s group and his counterpart in the Makarfi faction, Prince Dayo Adeyeye.

Other signatories are the factional acting National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Dave Iorhemba and Ahmed Gulak, former Political Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

During the event which was witnessed by Governor Dickson and former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, the groups also resolved to work with the National Reconciliation Committee to put an end to the prolonged crisis.

“That all actors of the party should desist from making derogatory, inflammatory and divisive statements against party officials, stakeholders and members,” the communique read.

“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.”