PDP crisis: ‘Only PDP organs can disband us’- Makarfi’s NCC

…Says Sheriff doesn’t have NWC members

Members of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday, said that they will quit office immediately the party organs that put the committee in place ask them to disband it.

The NCC members, in a statement by their National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, pointed out that they are not no sit tight like Senator Sheriff.

According to the statement, “As men of integrity, we have said it countless number of times, and we are repeating it now for emphasis sake, that the NCC members will quit office immediately the party organs that put it in place ask us to disband. We are no sit tight like Senator Sheriff”.

The caretaker committee said this in reaction to a statement on Sunday by the Governor of Bayelsa State and Chairman, National Reconciliation Committee of the PDP, Hon. Seriake Dickson, in which he advised Senator Ahmed Makarfi to step down for the court recognised National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

The statement by Adeyeye reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a press statement by Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state wherein he called for the resignation of the National Caretaker Committee as a way out of the present impasse in our party.

“The statement coming from one of our most respected Governors is to say the least shocking and embarrassing.
“The National Caretaker Committee did not appoint itself. It is a creation of the National Convention of the party at which Gov. Dickson as a prominent leader of the party was present. As the Governor admitted in his statement, the NCC was put in place and enjoys the support of over 80 percent of members of the party.

“That being the case, the proper thing to do if Gov. Dickson wants the NCC to be disbanded is to persuade and convince the 80 percent of the members on the merits of his point of view.

“The NCC is merely the agent of the party. The principals are the organs of the party and the 80 percent of members that he alluded to. The NCC has no choice than to obey the command of its principals”.

The NCC National Publicity Secretary stated that it was most unfair to cast aspersions on members of the NCC, stressing that Gov. Dickson should know where to direct his efforts.

“He (Dickson) should convince our principals who are the organs of the party on the need for the NCC to resign. We cannot and will not do his job for him,” he said.

Continuing, Adeyeye said: “Nigerians are aware that former President, Goodluck Jonathan had suggested the resignations of Senator Sheriff and that of the NCC as a solution to the crisis in the context of finding a suitable political solution to the crisis.

“While the NCC agreed to step down in the interest of peace, Senator Sheriff has bluntly refused .Who should we blame for the lingering crisis in the light of this? Definitely not the NCC.

“It is therefore most unfair to say that the NCC is averse to finding a political solution to the crisis.

“We are bemused that while Gov. Dickson admits that the NCC was MANDATED by the organs of the party to pursue the appeal at the Supreme Court, he at the same time wants its members to resign. This is evidently self-contradictory.
“To successfully accomplish the task of reconciliation, it is important to be seen by all sides as an impartial honest broker.

“We are worried that Gov. Dickson has seriously undermined the work of his committee by taking sides with Sheriff. We are even more concerned about his open declaration of war on the NCC. Rather than reconciling the party he is being further pulled apart.

“We are not amused by the urge for us to surrender the destiny of the party to Sheriff who brazenly and without any remorse destroyed our chances in the Edo and Ondo State Governorship elections.

“Gov. Dickson will recall all the efforts made by former Gov. Mimiko of Ondo State and his good self to persuade Sheriff and his cohorts not to destroy the Ondo election. Everything ended in futility. Those are the same people he wants us to trust with our destiny”, the NCC said.

The committee however urged all party members to remain steadfast and committed to the ideals of the party, saying, “After darkness comes a glorious dawn”.

Meanwhile, the NCC has described the acting National Publicity of the party, Hon. Benard Mikko and the acting Deputy National Chairman of the party, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, as shameless impostors.

The National Caretaker Committee pointed out that Senator Sheriff has no National Working Committee (NWC) with which to function.

“Therefore any action taken by him relating to our great party will be illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever”, it said.