We Won’t Play Second Fiddle Under Makarfi – Sherrif’s Delta PDP

***Condemns Makarfi’s Amnesty Offer, Demands Apology

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Delta State loyal to the sacked former factional National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, have vowed that they would never play second fiddle under the Supreme Court installed Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee, BigPen Online can report. 

This was their position after a State caucus meeting convened by the former Delta State factional Chairman of the party, Chief Austin Ogbaburhon in Orhuwhoruh, Udu Council Area, Delta State on Sunday.

Arising from the enlarged meeting attended by Deputy National Chairman under Sheriff controlled faction, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, they condemned the reported offer of amnesty to its members by Markafi-led PDP, maintaining that those who actually deserved amnesty for impunity, fraud, treasury looting are within the Makarfi’s fold.

The PDP faithfuls said that just few days after the Supreme Court ruling, Makarfi has continued his bad leadership trait by entrenching the culture of impunity and lack of internal democracy which have been the bane of the PDP under the crops of leaders loyal to his camp.

Those who spoke at the meeting included the State Chairman, Ogbaburhon, the vice chairman of the Delta South Senatorial District of the party, Hon Ramson Ikweki, Aniocha South Chairman, Elder Ikechukwe Ofulue among others, stressed that while they would remain members of the PDP awaiting directives from their national leaders under Sheriff camp, they would never key behind Makarfi or play second fiddle in the affairs of PDP at the state level.

Addressing the meeting, Ogbaburhon said that Supreme Court ruling or not, his leadership remains the authentic State Executive Council of the party, adding that their focus currently is to further strength the state and ward executive of the party.

“We wouldn’t key behind anybody until we get a clear direction from our national body. The case of Delta State is different from every other states and at the state level we have our strength and we wouldn’t play second fiddle as far of PDP Delta State is concern, he affirmed”.

Speaking in the same vein, Ikweki said that the verdict was a shock because it fails to address some salient issues which brought the party to where it is today.

According to him, those who perpetrated the downfall of PDP are those now claiming to be holding sway with Supreme Court verdict, saying that they are at it again and have “murdered Justice”.

“If they say no court stopped the convention in Port Harcourt why didn’t they elect a full national exco? If they say no court stopped the convention why was a Caretaker Committee elected? Nigerians want to know!

“Ali Modu Sheriff didn’t perpetrate the downfall of PDP, those who are parading Supreme Court Judgment are those who killed PDP and they are at it again with the culture of impunity, but we shall continue to fight on because they have murdered justice and they wouldn’t sleep peacefully anymore”, Ikweki added.

Ofulue said that justice was murdered on the altar of internal wrangling of the PDP by the Supreme Court Judgment which sacked Sheriff, maintaining that Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose and Makarfi should apologize for their uncouth utterances against Sheriff.

Addressing newsmen shortly after the meeting, Ojougboh said that they were not going to leave the PDP for any other party, adding that their interest was to strengthen the party from the state to ward level while they await proper briefing of their lawyers who are still studying the Supreme Court Judgment.

“Our interest all this while is to resuscitate the PDP, this has been Sheriff’s desire so we are not leaving the party, we are going to strengthen the party from state to ward level and if the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee can do it we will be very happy and to see that internal democracy is returned.

“If all party members are treated equally we will all be very happy and work for the party. The most important thing is that the party is supreme and that’s what we recognize and it is our position.

“Basically, today’s meeting is a state caucus meeting which was convened to brief the state exco of what’s going on at National level and we have asked them to go back and continue the membership drive.

“We have told them of the position of the party at the National level which is to pray and wait like the Apostles waited for the Holy Spirit….

“We are not averse to the Supreme Court. The court has spoken and the law has spoken but we want to have their reasons. Our prayers is that the party should begin to grow from strength to strength”.

Speaking on the purported amnesty offer by the Makarfi’s-led PDP, Ojougboh said: “I read and heard about it but I don’t believe it because I don’t want to make excuses for anybody because as far as I’m concern the party belong to all of us but if they said so, well it is very unfortunate.

“I have not seen it as a statement or they have not come out with a policy of that nature. If there is a policy of that nature we would know exactly how to respond to it”, Ojougboh added.

Written by Joe Ogbodu