By Emeka Nze
Abuja
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of crisis ridden Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi to withdraw their suits and abide by the resolutions of the May, 21 national convention in Port Harcourt which constituted the national caretaker committee of the party.
The BoT said the need arose to allow room for the use of “internal conflict resolution mechanism and adhere strictly to the constitution of the party”.
Addressing journalists after the expanded meeting of all the in Abuja yesterday, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jubrin, stated that all the contending parties, namely the Concerned PDP Stakeholders Forum, the Governors Forum, the National Assembly Caucus, the former PDP Ministers Forum, were all represented.
At the meeting, however, there was no indication that the Governors’ Forum and the ex-chairman, Sheriff, were represented except that Sherif was seen earlier at the venue in company of Makarfi.
The Secretary of the BoT, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, who read the resolutions, said the party had also set up a committee from across all the groups to begin the immediate reconciliation of members and another committee to reach out to Sheriff.
He further stated: “Noting that the BoT of our party has been in regular consultation with all organs of our party, to restore, peace, order and tranquility in the party, the BoT and the expanded meeting with the Governors’ Forum, the National Assembly Forum, the former Ministers Forum and Concerned Stakeholders’ Forum, decided as follows:
“To immediately engage all groups, party leaders and members involved in whatever disputes towards a just and lasting amicable resolution of all contending issues, and that the BoT will therefore preside over the processes of major reconciliation in our party as part of its leadership responsibility.
“Accordingly, in the light of that, the meeting agrees that all the various contending groups are being supported, and indeed have agreed to work together and to support the decisions reached at the National convention as such a high powered committee is to be set up to ensure speedy resolution and reconciliation of all contending issues.
“It was also agreed that the National Caretaker Committee of the party, ably led by former governor and Senator, Ahmed Makarfi and Senator Ben obi involves members of Concerned Stakeholders’ Forum for effective integration off all points of view and all tendencies.
“Another committee has also been set up to meet with former National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff in the spirit of working together and resolving all outstanding issues.
“All matters that are in court, the parties have been advised, because of extant regulation of our party’s decision, no matter should come to court without first going through internal party mechanism.
“That all cases in court be withdrawn immediately as an indication of good faith and commitment to party discipline and party unity, the various parties are also expected to make a commitment to maintain peace and an undertaken not to resort to external agencies to meddle with what is solely internal party affair,” Maduekwe said.
