Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Ex- military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and former National Security Adviser, NSA who also served as Jonathan’s Minister of Defence, General Aliyu Gusau were the principal leaders who facilitated the reconciliation moves to unite the Ali Modu Sherif and Ahmed Makarfi factions of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Based on the promptings of the ex leaders, Sheriff reached out to Makarfi, one of aides to the hitherto embattled leaders said . A meeting was held between the two factional leaders Tuesday in Abuja and they resolved to constitute a committee of all stakeholders to ensure a broader reconciliation within the party.
It was after their meeting that Senator Ben Obi announced that the Sheriff and Makarfi factions have agreed to issue a joint statement
Obi who was flanked by Dr. Cairo Ojuigho of the Sheriff faction said “We have decided to issue a joint statement. As we speak today, the PDP is back as one family.
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He said further that “The two leaders will address you gentlemen of the press, will constitute a joint committee with the support of all relevant organs of the party.”
WazobiaReporters gathered that IBB, Jonathan and Gusau among others who facilitated the reconciliation effort have a bigger picture in mind.
The main goal is to unite the party and bring all the aggrieved PDP members including serving governors and ex governors as well as lawmakers who left the party because of past grievances. The target appears to be 2019.
It was further learnt one of the former leaders who facilitated the reconciliation moves told his colleagues that the best option to ensure the realization of the bigger picture was to encourage Makarfi and Sheriff to unite. He reasoned that though the law may appear to favour Sheriff in his claim to PDP national chairmanship, majority of the PDP stakeholders were behind Makarfi ; so the best was forward was to get them to work together in the interest of the party.
When Makarfi and Sheriff met Tuesday, they resolved to purge themselves of any personal interest and work for true reconciliation and the return of all the aggrieved PDP members including those who had earlier quit the party.
