The Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party,
Senator Ahmed Makarfi, said on Monday that the process of reconciling
aggrieved foundation members of the party, including ex-President
Olusegun Obasanjo, his erstwhile vice, Atiku Abubakar, Senate President
Bukola Saraki and other chieftains of the party who defected to the All
Progressives Congress, was already in progress.
The former governor noted that the work of the newly inaugurated
reconciliation and discipline committee have recorded progress in this
regard, adding that all the efforts were towards ensuring that the party
form a formidable force to defeat the APC in the 2019 general
elections.
Makarfi, who stated this while speaking to journalists in Kaduna on
how to reposition the party, added that aside from wooing the
foundation members of the party, the reconciliation committee was also
mandated to extend its dragnet to other noted politicians in the APC and
other party who are desirous to join the PDP.
The two-term Senator, who refused to comment further on the matter, said “we
(reconciliation and disciplinary committee) are happy they have started
well. We will not be reporting their progress because their progress is
our strength. People will see it when they will see it.
“Just before the convention , you will recall that we
inaugurated committee for reconciliation and discipline. The
reconciliation committee is mandated to reconcile all aggrieved members
since formation of the party, not only aggrieved members based on
Makarfi/Sherrif squabbles. All aggrieved members of PDP since the PDP
was put in place.
“And also to try to bring in even those who have never been in
the party before. So, their mandate is wider than the Makarfi/Sherrif
political conflict.”
Besides, he warned those who are bent on undermining the party
through anti-party activities to desist, otherwise the wrath of PDP
constitution would soon descend on them.
Saying that the party have leant it’s lessons from the past and
under the present political dispensation, the Caretaker Chairman added
that convention slated for December “is part of the cleansing
process to bring credible people on board for the party and also bring
sanity to some states that have defied political solution.”
He said, “I am happy to say that all the factional divisions in
those states, from the report I have received have been sitting
together and accommodating each other to participate in the care taker
committee.
“That is the first stage of bringing all elements in the party
together. I heard reports from Lagos and Kebbi, they are all doing fine.
Other states are meeting over the weekend, based on the reports I have
received. At the end of the day we will be there, God’s willing.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman also reaffirmed the party’s position on the
zoning of the presidency to the north and the national chairmanship to
the south which was taken at the Port-Harcourt May 21, convention of the
party.
While shedding light on the issue of electing credible national
officers for the party, Makarfi explained that even as the presidency
was zone to the north, the party was yet to decide which part of the
north would get the slot (Northwest, north central or northeast).
He also the party had not yet zone the position of the national
chairmanship to any part of the south, be it southwest, southeast or
south-south.
The former governor added the position of the party on the zoning
formula of the party was supreme and cautioned those already campaigning
for the nation’s topmost position come 2019.
Though he argued that it was their constitutional rights to do so,
but that they should respect the position of the party on the matter.
Makarfi said, “Anything that has to do with the party, it is
from the leadership of the party that you will hear and that is why I
have reaffirmed that the zoning position of the party have not changed.
It was the decision of the Port-Harcourt May 21, 2017 Convention. The
decision is supreme.
“But let me also remind you that while the presidency was zone
to the South in 1999, some aspirants in the North contested and went
against it in their rights; but the party went with the decision it
took. So, it is up to an individual to make a choice whether to abide by
what the party said or go against it.
“However, at the end of the day , it is the position that the
party adopted that will prevail. We won’t make choices for individual
but my advice is that individual should respect the decision. I have not
talked to anybody to know the rationale behind that but I will not
alter the decision that the party has taken.
“The Presidency remain zone to the North and I know for sure
that the position of the governors, the National Assembly, the BoT as
well as the state chairmen of the party.”
On corruption, the Chairman carpeted the governing APC for
allegedly victimizing its past leaders (PDP), noting that the same
allegation of corruption was already trailing the current government,
adding that “the recent reports of a government agency, National Bureau for Statistics attested to the fact.”