We didn’t advise PDP members to defect to other parties – Makarfi’s faction

The Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has denied advising its members to defect to other political parties.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the faction said there was no such directive from the camp.
“Our statement was very clear and unambiguous, which was to the effect that we are in court and have absolute faith and confidence in the judiciary to dispense justice without fear or favour.
“We are aware that PDP is being disenfranchised in some elections and that different states have adopted different approaches to the issue without prejudice to the substantive matter before the court. Our members are enjoined to continue to demonstrate total commitment and loyalty to the party,” Adeyeye said.
The Makarfi group had in a statement issued on Tuesday by Adeyeye, accused the Ali Modu Sheriff camp of creating factions in the various state chapters with the view to compromising the chances of PDP candidates in local government elections in different parts of the country.
“It is also important to state at this point that Senator Sheriff and his cohorts have been creating factional chapters in different states of the federation in order to compromise our chances in the local government elections
“In the circumstances and with no hope of the Ali Modu Sheriff problem abating before the Supreme Court judgment, we are left with no choice than to consider ways by which our members will not be disenfranchised in these elections.
“However our position is not to choose a platform for any state where true PDP candidates are denied the opportunity to stand for the elections. State chapters are allowed to take any decision they consider appropriate,” Adeyeye said in the statement.
In a counter reaction, the Sheriff camp called on loyal party members to ignore the call by the Makarfi group, describing the group as “destroyers of our much cherished party.”
The statement, signed by the spokesman of the Sheriff camp, Mr. Bernard Mikko, said “we equally call on all members who are desirous of contesting elections to use our party; the PDP and be rest assured of level playing field guaranteed by internal party democracy.
“It is now clear that having failed to convince members to follow them to their proposed new party, Makarfi and his con travelers have resorted to using everything available to destroy our party.
“This new antic will also fail and we assure all our aspirants that the end to impunity and imposition of candidates is insight.”

POSTED BY:OPUOMONI PRIYE
DATE:05/17/2017