PDP opts for ‘political solution’ to leadership crisis

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has resolved to adopt political, rather than legal approach, to seek a lasting solution to the party’s leadership crisis.

The governors’ forum took the decision when it met with former President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ayodele Fayose, chairman of the forum, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the meeting.

The Ekiti governor said that the meeting was at the instance of Jonathan and that all interests in the party would be represented in the search for the needed solution to the impasse.

“He, Jonathan, is genuinely concerned about what is going on in the party, and he thought that an interactive session with the governors will go a long way to dousing tension.

“We know that there are so many matters before the court but we believe that a political solution will go a long way to solve this matter.

“If we believe in this party, we will all be willing and ready to pursue a political solution, which at the end of the day every interest will be well represented. That is the position of this meeting,” he said.

According to him, irrespective of the matters before the court, political solution is the best.

Fayose assured all PDP supporters that the governors believed in the party as well in its success, and urged members and the supporters to refrain from making comments that could compound the party’s crisis.

“We want to appeal to everybody to be wary of making statements that could further worsen the situation; we should make complimentary statements that can enhance the party the more.”

He explained that engaging the national chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff, was part of the political approaches to be adopted in resolving the problems.

In attendance of the meeting were governors of Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Taraba, Cross River, Abia, Ebonyi, Gombe and Bayelsa. Rivers was represented by the deputy governor.

The court of appeal in Port Harcourt had on February 17 affirmed Sheriff as the national chairman of the party against a resolution of May 2016 national convention that sacked the party’s national working committee (NWC).

In place of the NWC and national executive committee of the party, the convention constituted a national caretaker committee headed by Ahmed Makarfi, to manage the party and organise an elective national convention.

But, Sheriff challenged the development in court and got judgment affirming him as chairman.

The national caretaker committee, the PDP governors’ forum and elders, including the board of trustees (BoT), flayed the judgment of the court and have appealed to supreme court.