The crisis within the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party is far from over, with Ali Modu Sheriff claiming he remained the national chairman of the party, despite being sacked by a national convention.
Mr. Sheriff was sacked at the PDP convention held on Saturday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and the National Executive Committee which he headed, replaced with a caretaker committee.
Inuwa Bwala, the spokesperson for Mr. Sheriff, told PREMIUM TIMES around 8.41pm on Saturday that Mr. Sheriff remained opposed to what happened at the Port Harcourt convention, since he had announced its suspension after consulting with members of the National Working Committee of the party.
“Immediately the chairman (Sheriff) received another court injunction, he called a meeting of the National Working Committee and told them that it wasn’t safe to continue with the convention of the party, especially since the court had forbidden elections virtually into all the offices,” Mr. Bwala said.
“He announced the suspension of the convention at a press briefing, only for some people to go behind and claim that there was convention.
“There was no organ of the party that was represented at the convention.
“The convention was cancelled, and it remains cancelled until such a time the matters in court are resolved, for us to convene another national convention.”
Mr. Bwala said Mr. Sheriff remained the national chairman of the PDP, going by the pronouncement of the court.
“The court had said the office of the chairman would become vacant only in 2018, and that is parts of the reasons we shelved the convention,” said Mr. Bwala.
When asked why the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, and the Senate Minority Leader, Godwill Akpabio, parted ways with Mr. Sheriff, Mr. Bwala responded, “Some of them wanted to go on with the convention even with the subsisting court orders, and Sheriff said no. And that was their point of departure.”
Mr. Bwala said Mr. Sheriff felt betrayed in Port Harcourt.
“Naturally, you will feel betrayed if you are working with some people, only for them to go behind you to work against what you all agreed to do.”
The motion to sack Mr. Sheriff was moved at the convention by Mr. Akpabio, at the Port Harcourt Civic Centre.
In his motion, Mr. Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, asked the convention to approve the appointment of a committee to manage the affairs of the PDP for a period not exceeding 90 days.
“The committee shall be known as the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party,” Mr. Akpabio said, while addressing delegates at the convention.
Mr. Akpabio said the caretaker committee would also work to foster peace and reconciliation of all party members, as part of its terms of reference.
The motion was seconded by the Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo, thereby paving the way for the election of a seven-man caretaker committee headed by the former governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi.
The voice vote was conducted by the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike.
Ben Obi, who represents the South East in the caretaker committee, is the secretary. Other members of the committee include Odion Ugbesia, a former senator from Edo State, and Abdul Ahmed Ningi, from Bauchi.
The convention, which had all the 12 governors of the PDP-controlled states in attendance, went up till about 6pm.
There was an understanding that no member of the caretaker committee would contest for election into the National Executive Committee.
The immediate past senate president, David Mark, was present at the convention.
The Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Onofiok Luke, told PREMIUM TIMES that what happened at the Port Harcourt convention was “for the purpose of inclusion.”
Mr. Luke said, “The convention was fixed by NEC, and therefore it is only NEC that has the power to suspend the convention.

“I am a loyal party man. So, I go with the party.”
As the convention drew to a close around 6 pm, delegates hurried out of the venue even before the national anthem was sang, and the idle ballot boxes, beautifully designed, stood out as a reminded that the biggest opposition party in Africa still had a major inconclusive business at hand.

The crisis within the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party is far from over, with Ali Modu Sheriff claiming he remained the national chairman of the party, despite being sacked by a national convention.

Mr. Sheriff was sacked at the PDP convention held on Saturday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and the National Executive Committee which he headed, replaced with a caretaker committee.

Inuwa Bwala, the spokesperson for Mr. Sheriff, told PREMIUM TIMES around 8.41pm on Saturday that Mr. Sheriff remained opposed to what happened at the Port Harcourt convention, since he had announced its suspension after consulting with members of the National Working Committee of the party.

“Immediately the chairman (Sheriff) received another court injunction, he called a meeting of the National Working Committee and told them that it wasn’t safe to continue with the convention of the party, especially since the court had forbidden elections virtually into all the offices,” Mr. Bwala said.

“He announced the suspension of the convention at a press briefing, only for some people to go behind and claim that there was convention.

“There was no organ of the party that was represented at the convention.

“The convention was cancelled, and it remains cancelled until such a time the matters in court are resolved, for us to convene another national convention.”

Mr. Bwala said Mr. Sheriff remained the national chairman of the PDP, going by the pronouncement of the court.

“The court had said the office of the chairman would become vacant only in 2018, and that is parts of the reasons we shelved the convention,” said Mr. Bwala.

When asked why the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, and the Senate Minority Leader, Godwill Akpabio, parted ways with Mr. Sheriff, Mr. Bwala responded, “Some of them wanted to go on with the convention even with the subsisting court orders, and Sheriff said no. And that was their point of departure.”

Mr. Bwala said Mr. Sheriff felt betrayed in Port Harcourt.

“Naturally, you will feel betrayed if you are working with some people, only for them to go behind you to work against what you all agreed to do.”

The motion to sack Mr. Sheriff was moved at the convention by Mr. Akpabio, at the Port Harcourt Civic Centre.

In his motion, Mr. Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, asked the convention to approve the appointment of a committee to manage the affairs of the PDP for a period not exceeding 90 days.
, went up till about 6pm.


...........


As the convention drew to a close around 6 pm, delegates hurried out of the venue even before the national anthem was sang, and the idle ballot boxes, beautifully designed, stood out as a reminded that the biggest opposition party in Africa still had a major inconclusive business at hand.

TonyeBarcanista:
All I can say is that PDP is united. no division




It is well

Fmartin:
i guess one need to re-define the word 'united'.

I don't see an iota of unity in PDP.

All i can see is Power tussle.

modath:

Kowa , Over to you......

One thing is sure PDP has lost the plot, you can't have 3 different factions and provide viable opposition to favour the masses, one or two factions will sell out..


BTW, Where is Fayose? The architect of this PDP house of commotion drama?

TonyeBarcanista:
Internal power tussle is not same as division

bejeiodus:
Who told you the factions cannot coalesce? Talks are being held which hopefully will lead to a better PDP.
I know you fervently wish for the extinction of the PDP but it won't happen.
The PDP remains the biggest opposition party in the country and a potent threat to your beloved party--the APC.
The PDP will rise to its once enviable height again and it will shock all doomsayers.

modath:


PDP live or dead don't make much difference, too many giant egos, unbridled greed and lack of clear goals are the main issues bedeviling the party, until they find a way to manage those vices, then they can attack "doomsayers"

Let's watch the course of PDP's many captains trying to stir one ship and see where it will berth....

I watched Ibrahim Mantu and Tunde Adeniran on Focus Nigeria, any talks that doesn't center around giving PDP to the "old members" to manage is an exercise in futility.. & are the governors ready to relinquish control and face their primary business of managing their states?


BTW, How and why did they allow Fayose to railroad them into making so many gaffes?

TonyeBarcanista:
All I can say is that PDP is united. no division




It is well

modath:


PDP live or dead don't make much difference, too many giant egos, unbridled greed and lack of clear goals are the main issues bedeviling the party, until they find a way to manage those vices, then they can attack "doomsayers"

Let's watch the course of PDP's many captains trying to stir one ship and see where it will berth....

I watched Ibrahim Mantu and Tunde Adeniran on Focus Nigeria, any talks that doesn't center around giving PDP to the "old members" to manage is an exercise in futility.. & are the governors ready to relinquish control and face their primary business of managing their states?



BTW, How and why did they allow Fayose to railroad them into making so many gaffes?

seunmsg:


Yeah, they are united into three factions.
Feedeefee, Chanji de Chanji

TonyeBarcanista:
All I can say is that PDP is united. no division
It is well

TonyeBarcanista:
Internal power tussle is not same as division

Fmartin:
so u are trying to convince me that APC is united

Volksfuhrer:


You guys are funny. You expect Ali Modu Sheriff to just roll over and forget his ouster. I dey laugh.