PDP crisis: Sheriff, Makarfi urged to step aside

An elder-statesman and founding member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Mohammed Rabiu Bako has called on Senators Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi to sheath their swords and step aside in the interest of the party.

In a statement, the former commissioner under the Makarfi administration in Kaduna State, said there was need for them to make sacrifices to revive the party, as it is greater than any individual or groups. He called for speedy resolution of the impasse so that the party would reposition itself for future challenges.

“It is apparent that the two leaders are playing to the gallery with each trying to outsmart the other. This attitude is certainly and totally detrimental to the progress of our party particularly now that we are in the opposition. It is not in the interest of our party for our leaders to throw tantrums at each other at the slightest opportunity, thereby personalizing the leadership of the party. As it is now, one would have expected that the Board of Trustee, our respected elders and governors would have taken full charge of the situation by demanding for the resignation of the leadership of the two warring camps so that normalcy will be restored in the affairs of our great party,” he said.

Bako emphasized that his call was with all sense of responsibility, stressing that the party lost the Edo and Ondo gubernatorial elections due to unwarranted fractionalization.

“Sadly enough, we are currently witnessing defections of monumental proportions from a party that promises to wrestle power from the APC come 2019,” he added.

He urged stakeholders of the party to urgently take steps towards addressing the lingering crisis.

“While we view 2019 as being far away, in reality it is at our doorstep. There is therefore the compelling need for our party, the PDP, to be united ahead of future challenges,” he said.