Makarfi, Fayose, Wike, NCC members are military apologists – Sheriff

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has described the members of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the party as military apologists and nomadic political activists.

Sheriff pointedly declared that Makarfi and members of his NCC have no genuine political credential, but merely looking for a political window to position themselves for economic settlement or advantage.

The PDP National Chairman and erstwhile governor of Borno State said these in a statement issued and signed on his behalf by the acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Bernard Mikko, on Sunday, in Abuja.

An inquiry into the background of these people, Sheriff said, will show that they are the same people that superintended over the affairs of the PDP with impunity for over a decade and are responsible for the problems which they now claim to have a cure.

He therefore called on all PDP faithful to remain resolute as the leadership of our party is committed to eliminating all forms of lawlessness and impunity perpetrated by this gang members who are now trying to confuse our teeming supporters.

He appealed to members of the PDP not to pay any meaningful attention to them or also get confused.
Sheriff insisted that the tap root of the party is at the grassroots, the wards and not in the hotel lobbies in the metropolis.

The statement reads: “The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party has been drawn to media reports that a perceived division in the party had set off the process for the registration of a new political association by splinter groups and dissidents.

“I hereby affirm that no such division or schism exists, dissidents are only at work for their selfish reasons.

“In so far as the freedom of association is guaranteed under our constitution, Nigerians are becoming more enlightened to know and identify these principal actors that had used the democratic mantra to undermine our unity and national development.

“These people only believe that democratic norms are better served when they alone are in charge.

“We wish to call on Nigerians that the biggest challenge to our unity and national development is not the proliferation of mushroom political gang ups, but a stronger commitment to an increasing democratic ethos.

“Those parading themselves as PDP stalwarts or stakeholders itching to form new political associations are in fact military apologists and nomadic political activists with no genuine political credential looking for a political window to position themselves for economic settlement or advantage.

“An inquiry into the background of these people will show that they are the same people that superintended over the affairs of the PDP with impunity for over a decade and are responsible for the problems which they now claim to have a cure.

“We therefore call on all PDP faithful to remain resolute as the leadership of our party is committed to eliminating all forms of lawlessness and impunity perpetrated by this gang members who are now trying to confuse our teeming supporters.

“If these dissidents are confused, we appeal to our members not to pay any meaningful attention to them or also get confused.

“The tap root of our party, the Peoples Democratic Party is at the grassroots, the wards and not in the hotel lobbies in the metropolis.

“These dissidents cannot in one breath pursue a course of litigation at the apex court and also fail to align themselves with basic democratic principles by trying to use loud voice to cover up weak points to justify their actions.

“They are frustrated because they have failed to manipulate the political process to generate their desired selfish result or advantage.

“We hereby assure PDP loyalists, members and committed stakeholders to remain resolute as the National Chairman, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, is already succeeding in bringing the party to the glorious days that gave hope and confidence to the electorate and ensured our electoral success for sixteen years”, the statement concluded.

In its reaction, the NCC of the PDP led by Makarfi declared that Mikko lacked the locus to parade himself as the National Publicity Secretary (NPS) of the party, describing him as an impostor.

The NCC of the party, which reacted through its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, on Sunday, wondered why the Sheriff’s group has not deemed it fit to respond to so many national issues including the latest release of the 82 Chibok girls on Saturday.

Adeyeye said: “Mikko has no locus to parade himself as NPS. He is an impostor with scant regard for law and order.

“it would have been nice if they could react to issues concerning their paymasters, the APC, with the same alacrity with which they responded to that story (which we know nothing about as we have neither initiated nor about to initiate a process for the formation of any political party) so that for once they can claim that they are not a sparring partner of the APC. Shameless people”.