We never asked PDP members to defect to other parties -Makarfi

.Your NCC is illegal, your antics will fail, says Sheriff

The Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Wednesday that it never asked any of its members to defect to another party.

The NCC maintained that the PDP belongs to all members and would therefore not ask nor direct any member to defect, saying “PDP is our party”.

This was contained in a statement signed on Wednesday by the National Publicity Secretary of the NCC, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, and made available to journalists in Abuja.

The statement was in reaction to a newspaper (not The Daily Times) headline which claimed that members of the PDP have been asked by the NCC to defect to other parties ahead of the forthcoming local government elections in some states of the federation.

The Makarfi-led NCC thus enjoined its members to continue to demonstrate total commitment and loyalty to the party.

The statement by Adeyeye pointedly declared that there was no such directive from the National Caretaker Committee.

The NCC maintained that its statement was very clear and unambiguous which was to the effect that “we are in court and have absolute faith and confidence in the judiciary to dispense justice without fear or favour.

“Also that we are aware that PDP is been disenfranchised in some elections and that different states have adopted different approaches to the issue without prejudice to the substantive matter before the court.

“We state categorically that the National Caretaker Committee has never asked anyone to defect to another Party. PDP is our party.

“Our members are enjoined to continue to demonstrate total commitment and loyalty to the party”, it said.

But the court recognised National Chairman of the PDP, which reacted to the story credited to the Makarfi’s group earlier by the said newspaper (not The Daily Times), said that it has now become clear that having failed to convince members to follow them to their proposed new party, Makarfi and his co-travelers have resorted to using everything available to destroy our party.

Sheriff, in a statement by the acting National Publicity of the PDP, Hon. Bernard Mikko, said the new antic of the Makarfi’s group will also fail and “we assure all our aspirants that the end to impunity and imposition of candidates is insight”.

The statement by Mikko reads: “The attention of the National chairman of the PDP, Sen. Ali modu Sheriff and the National Working Committee have been drawn to a press release by one Mr. Adeyeye on behalf of Sen. Makarfi and the court declared illegal care taker committee that members desirous of contesting elections should look for alternative platforms.

“We Call on all loyal members to ignore this call and see them for what they are; destroyers of our much cherished party.

“We equally call on all members who are desirous of contesting elections to use our party; the PDP and be rest assured of level playing field guaranteed by internal party democracy.

“It is now clear that having failed to convince members to follow them to their proposed new party, Makarfi and his cootravellers have resorted to using everything available to destroy our party.

“This new antic will also fail and we assure all our aspirants that the end to impunity and imposition of candidates is insight”, it said.