Makarfi: Gusua, Mark Convinced Jonathan to Hold PDP Peace Meeting ...

Wike, Fayose did not sponsor parley Warns against Sheriff's convention

The Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said that the former National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau and former Senate President, David Mark convinced ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to convene the last botched peace meeting of the party, and not Governors Nyesom Wike and Ayodele Fayose, as alleged by the Sheriff faction.

Reacting to allegations by Sheriff's deputy, Cairo Ojougboh, that the ex-president was drafted into the peace initiative by Wike and Fayose, the Makarfi faction explained that the decision to mandate the two top party members to go and persuade Jonathan was reached at a meeting attended by Sheriff, Professor Wale Oladipo, Senator David Mark, Ahmed Makarfi, Ben Ndi Obi and General Gusau.

The Spokesman of the Caretaker Committee, Dayo Adeyeye said that it was agreed at the meeting that both Gusau and Mark should approach the former President to convene an all-inclusive meeting of stakeholders in order to chart a way forward for a lasting peace in the party.

"For the record, the last Stakeholders Meeting convened and chaired by the former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was not sponsored or organised by Wike or Fayose as alleged by Mr. Cairo Ojugboh.”

The spokesman described as uncharitable, the allegation by Ojougboh that ex-President Jonathan was dragged into the last peace meeting by Wike and Fayose.

"It is uncharitable for Ojugboh to allege that the Stakeholders’ Meeting was organised and sponsored by Wike and Fayose. Indeed it is the height of lunacy for Sheriff and Cairo to allege that a person of President Goodluck Jonathan’s standing could be induced by anyone, not the least a governor, to organise the meeting. These people are pigs in the mud and they have no qualms in dragging decent people into the pit," he fumed.

On the threat by the Sheriffled leadership to go ahead and convene the National Executive (NEC) meeting and subsequently the convention, Adeyeye advised state chapters of the party to ignore any purported directive from the “renegades.”

He said no elective national convention of the party would hold until the Appeal before the Supreme Court was decided.

"There will be no elective National Convention of the PDP as postulated by Sheriff until the Appeal before the Supreme Court is decided. All our state chapters are advised to ignore any purported directive from any quarters.

"For the umpteenth time, we wish to re-iterate that Senator Sheriff and Co. are in defiance of the Court of Appeal Order of status quo ante made on May 21, 2016 with self-appointed officers like Cairo Ojugboh. Only three officers are with him and therefore, such NWC is non-existent.