The South-West caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday resolved to shut the doors of reconciliation against the factional National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.
The party, led by the governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, National Vice Chairman, South West, Eddy Olafeso and other notable leaders of the party, said the zone had foreclosed possibility of any reconciliation, even if summoned by former President Goodluck Jonathan, who is the party’s leader.
The caucus said this in Ado Ekiti after a meeting held to discuss the future of the party.
The caucus, however, saluted Jonathan’s courage for his reconciliation efforts, particularly the one that ended in fiasco last week, when Sheriff stormed out of a meeting called to reconcile with Ahmed Makarfi group.
Addressing journalists after the meeting , Fayose said: “We laud former President Jonathan for the initiative, he has proven to be a good leader. He meant well and we stand by him. But let it be expressly stated that we won’t reconcile with Sheriff. The door of reconciliation with Sheriff is shut.”
“We believe in dialogue but not with impossible people. We knew that the PDP has a problem and when the supreme court adjudicates on the contentious matter before it, we will know whether we will stay together or go our different ways, because it is difficult to stay in a room with a snake”, Fayose said.
The communiqué read by Olafeso after the meeting read: “we declare total support for the National Caretaker Committee of the Party under týhe leadership of Senator Ahmed Makarfi, in the quest to reposition, reorganize and promote the standing of the Party in Nigeria.
“We resolved to ensure that our Party, the PDP, will not be hijacked and taken over by fifth columnists and APC agents as represented by the Ali Modu Sheriff group.
“That this meeting resolves resolutely not to honor any further meeting geared towards reconciliation with the Sheriff group as they are totally extraneous to our Party and therefore of no use to the wellbeing of our Party.
“We also take due cognizance of the fact that a number of unprincipled and fair weather politicians are busy decamping from our Party to the APC. Therefore we call on all our members in the South West not to be discouraged or alarmed at this development as it is temporary.
“We also wish to underscore the fact that no politician worth his salt should consider decamping to the ruling Party that has ruined the economy and impoverish Nigerians to this odious level.
“We take serious view of the impending election in Ekiti and Osun States and therefore resolve to stand in solidarity and absolute support for the Party in the two States as a family. We call on all members of the Party across the Zone to be ready to sacrifice for our victory in the elections.
“We take serious view of the reconciliation meeting convened by former President Jonathan on Thursday, April 6, 2017 and thus commend him for that initiative and leadership acumen he displayed.
“Therefore we urge him to continue to take actions that will promote cohesion in the Party and should not be discouraged by dishonorable attitude displayed by the fifth columnists in our midst”.
Olafeso also condemned the continued arrest and intimidation of leaders and members of the t Party which subsists since the inauguration of the APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari under the guise of fighting corruption.
“We note that the so called battle against corruption is indeed a masked war against prominent members of the PDP. In this regard we note the continuing detention of Hon Gabriel Suswan, and Dr Babangida Aliyu the immediate past Governor of Benue and Niger States.
“Col Sambo Dasuki, Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi, Nnamdi Kanu and other Nigerians been detained most illegally by the Buhari Government. This attitude is undemocratic and an abuse of the fundamental rights ofý those concerned”, he concluded.