The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Caretaker Committee says it is not a party to the purported planned registration of Advanced Peoples Democratic Party (APDP).
The Publicity Secretary of the committee, Mr Dayo Adeyeye, said in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja that the committee or any of its members as individuals, had no hand in such plan.
Adeyeye said the clarification became necessary to clear the air on falsehood that the committee was planning to abandon PDP structure for the Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff led group.
“We state clearly and without ambiguity that the National Caretaker Committee of the PDP is not in any way involved in the plans to register any party by the name APDP or any other party for that matter.
“It is unthinkable that the National Caretaker Committee which without any doubt, enjoys the support of all the recognised organs of the party, will contemplate such a move.
“We, however, acknowledge and recognise the rights of party members to seek alternative platform to actualise their political dreams which is an inalienable right guaranteed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We also wish to state clearly and without ambiguity that the committee is holding leadership power in the party in trust for the millions of party faithful who instituted the committee at the National Convention,”he said.
Adeyeye said that whatever decision that would be taken on the PDP brand shall be taken by members at a properly constituted National Convention. He added that such decision could not be taken by a few individuals no matter how highly placed.
“For the records, no decision has been taken that the PDP should be abandoned and a new party formed out of the current structure. “At least, no such proposal is before the caretaker committee as at this moment,” the spokesman said.
He reiterated the party’s belief that the leadership issues before the Supreme Court would be resolved on the side of truth and that Justice would be served in the interest of peace.
Adeyeye urged party faithful to keep calm and allow the reconciliation efforts to move forward, adding that this was necessary without prejudice to the appeal before the Supreme Court.
“We are confident that Justice will be served at the end either through the court or through the reconciliation efforts or a combination of all of them,”he said.
Also, the Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, described the plot to register the new party as a fraud.
He said there was no way the national leadership of the party would allow the registration to succeed.
The former member of the National Assembly said that the PDP, under the leadership, of Sheriff would frustrate the attempt to register the party.
He said, “You know that is 419 (plot to register APDP) in another name. We will protest to the commission and also use other legal means to frustrate it.
“We are alerting Nigerians now that those who want to duplicate PDP are nothing but 419 people. If they want to register a new party, they should put on their thinking cap and form one.
“We won’t allow them use our name for their selfish interest. There are so many names out there that they can coin and form their political party without adding PDP to it.
“If they can’t even get a name, tell me how they want to win election. If they want to attempt at allowing that, we won’t agree. We are ready for them.”
Some aggrieved members of the party had approached the Independent National Electoral Commission, seeking to register the APDP.
The commission is however keeping the identity of those behind the yet-to-be registered party secret.
The aggrieved persons were said to have the backing of some governors as well.
It was further learnt that already, the governors are sharply divided on the need to pursue a political solution to the perennial crisis in the party.
The chairman of the governors forum, who is also the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, had said the governors would remain with the sacked National Caretaker Committee of the party headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi.
At a meeting with former President Goodluck Jonathan, it was gathered that some of the governors insisted that the appeal lodged by the Makarfi camp at the Supreme Court must be pursued to conclusion.
It was learnt that the two governors from the northern part of the country, Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), and Darius Ishaku(Taraba) were among the few who canvassed political solution to the crisis.
They were said to have been particularly backed by Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Seriake Dickson(Bayelsa), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Ben Ayade (Cross River).
Meanwhile, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s intervention for a peaceful resolution of the lingering crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have suffered a major setback as the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee is already at the Supreme Court to challenge the recent Court of Appeal judgment in favour of the Senator Alli Modu Sheriff leadership.
Jonathan had accepted to assist in resolving the crisis in the party, a decision believed to have brought some relief and renewed confidence to stakeholders, who believed that a political solution to the crisis was possible after all.
But the excitement arising from this was cut short the moment the Makarfi group headed for the Supreme Court to appeal the judgment that conceded the PDP leadership to the Sheriff group.
Our correspondent  gathered  that Sheriff has been served with the notice of appeal at the Supreme Court.
Although the Makarfi-led caretaker committee has vowed to proceed with the appeal to the Supreme Court, spokesman of the group, Chief Dayo Adeyeye, said his group had nothing against the move by Jonathan to broker peace in the party.
Nobody will be comfortable continuing with the peace talks once there is a Sword of Damocles dangling over his head”, he said.
“The former president has made good effort; let him continue. We have nothing against it but the understanding we had with the former president is that we shall continue with peace efforts without prejudice to the ongoing court process. So, the court process will go on and if there is any political solution, that will be okay. We cannot wait for the political solution before going back to the court,” he said.
Adeyeye explained that there was every reason for them to insist on seeing the appeal through to the Supreme Court in order to put the party in a strong position for negotiation.
However, with regards to the Jonathan peace moves and the renewed effort by the PDP standing committee on reconciliation headed by the Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Dickson, and Senator Ibrahim Mantu, the two sides said they would support the initiative.
Mikko told newsmen that the Dickson committee would complement efforts of the former president in settling most of the animosities amongst members.
“Looking at the grievances that are being heard across board, I think this is the best time for him to look into the grievances held by party members with a view to resolving them. We feel the Dickson committee will serve to complement what former President Jonathan is dong. They are not working at cross-purposes but complementing each other,” he said.
On factors responsible for the failure of previous peace efforts, Mikko said before the latest Court of Appeal judgment, there was a proposal canvassed by Sheriff to the effect that both sides should select six persons each as acting members of the National Working Committee pending a new national convention.
“Part of the proposal that we put out was that both parties should appoint six persons each to serve as acting members of the NWC, who would make presentations to the NEC meeting after which we will go for a national convention on September 25. But Makarfi did not get back to us on its position, instead they opted for the botched convention on August 17.