Makarfi regains control of PDP as BoT steps down

The Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee has regained control of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This is coming a week after the party’s board of trustees (BoT) announced its decision to preside over the affairs of the PDP based on the litigations involving the factions led by Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff, former national chairman of the party.

“We, the BoT are entrusted under the constitution of our party to be in charge of the assets and liability of PDP. Today, the BoT remains the only legal body now in the whole set up and that is why we are here to play our role,” Walid Jibrin, chairman of the board, had told staff of the party in Abuja.

Jibrin had said the BoT would be in charge until the internal crisis was resolved, adding that the board was the only constitutional organ of the party following contradictory court orders against the national caretaker committee and the dissolved national working committee (NWC).

However, the BoT later recanted saying it never asked Makarfi to relinquish control of the party.

But on Tuesday, the BoT handed over the secretariat to Makarfi. The dissolved national working committee also briefed the committee.

Uche Secondus, former deputy national chairman of the party, announced that the caretaker committee is now in charge of the PDP.

He appealed to party members to cooperate with the committee to deliver on its mandate.

“On behalf of members of the former national working committee of the PDP, I am here to handover to the caretaker committee chairman, we are ready to work with you, we are ready to cooperate with you,” he said.

Members of the BoT, governors, stakeholders in the party, were also at the meeting where Secondus spoke.

On his part, Makarfi thanked members for putting aside their differences and agreeing to work together.

He said his committee would do its best to reconcile aggrieved members, and ensure that the convention it will organise will usher in reputable leaders.