Makarfi, Sheriff in talks to end PDP leadership tussle

A strong indication on Thursday emerged that the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) may be resolved soon as the two main combatants involved in the leadership crisis within the fold of the opposition PDP – Senators Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi – have reportedly commenced talks on how to resolve the crisis.

The former National Chairman ‎of the party, Senator Sheriff, it was gathered, has had a change of mind concerning his hitherto hard line stance on the leadership crisis in the party.

The former National Vice Chairman (South-South) of the party, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, confirmed this at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday when he said that Senators Sheriff and Makarfi groups have been discussing.

Sheriff, it would be recalled, has been insisting that he remains National Chairman of the party in spite of the fact that three separate court judgments upheld his removal from office by the national convention on May 21‎, this year.

Ojougbo, a Medical Doctor and former member of House of Representatives from Delta State, maintained that both groups have been discussing.

His words: “I want to make this point clear, the caretaker committee that is represented and led by Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff-led PDP have been discussing.

“We have been looking for ways to make peace,” Dr. Ojougboh said.

The former National Vice Chairman of the PDP, who was recently named by Sheriff as his deputy, however, did not mention the names of members of the reconciliatory committee.

The Sheriff’s group, he disclosed, has submitted its terms for peace to the intermediary.

Continuing, he added: “We are insisting that Sheriff must be recognised as the chairman. The condition for peace is very interesting.

“There is no court judgment that can solve PDP problem,” he pointed out.

The former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, at a peace meeting he convened for the two warring factions, advised them to nominate four representatives each for peaceful resolution of the crisis.

Ojougboh however said the current overture has nothing to do with Arase’s peace initiative.

Ojougboh also faulted the call by spokesperson of the PDP national caretaker committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye for the arrest of Sheriff for contempt of court.

He said: “If anybody is to be arrested, it is Adeyeye who is making allusion that people should be arrested‎.

“‎People like Adeyeye who want this crisis to continue have been talking any how; they have their own personal agenda.

“I know that Makarfi will not make such statement. He is a gentleman and not somebody given to such utterances, so I want to excuse him.

“If such statement came from Makarfi, Ali Modu Sheriff would have known what to do, to address it properly,” he added.

Ojougboh attributed the crisis in the opposition party to the ambition of governors of the PDP who are scheming to hijack the party.

He revealed that the insistence of Senator Sheriff to return PDP to the people was why he fell out with the governors.

He said: “He (Sheriff) doesn’t want only the governors to sit down in their rooms and write the names of candidates and submit. That is the root of the crisis we are having today in the PDP and Ali Modu Sheriff is ready to address it.

“This is the only time the chairman of the PDP is saying no to the governors. Impunity must be addressed.

“Anybody who went shopping for judgment or use state money to go and buy judgment, the person is only on his own.

“Ali Modu Sheriff will not be involved in such cases, and if you win such cases, we wait for you at the Appeal Court,” he concluded.

Avengers strike again, blow up 3 Chevron manifolds

Militant group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) late Wednesday night blew up three Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) manifolds in Digbolo, near Dibi in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The incident was said to have occurred at about 11.00 pm on Wednesday.

In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Brig. Gen Mudoch Agbinibo, the group claimed responsibility for the attack, saying: “Between the hours of 10:50pm to 11:10 pm, our (Niger Delta Avengers) strike team blew up Chevron manifolds.”

While wishing Muslims a happy Eid Mubarak, the NDA in the statement said:“The manifolds are RMP 22, 23 and 24.”

The group however, denied attack on the NNPC pipeline in Eleme, Rivers State, posted by on a Niger Delta Avengers Facebook account it described as fake.

The NDA warned the public that it is shutting down all its social media accounts, saying “Niger Delta Avengers is not out to mislead the public. As a result, we are closing our entire social network accounts.” This Facebook Account/page is an impostor page that was open by fraudster to deceive the general public.”

Speaking further, group said: “We warning any group that wants to do anything to go about their activities without tagging us (Niger Delta Avengers). Instead do your activities and claim responsibility. Niger Delta Avengers is not out to mislead the public as a result we are closing all our Social network accounts and will be using our websites to pass information to the general public”.