Makarfi, Sheriff Factions Engage in Accusations and Counter-Accusations of Cash, Car Gifts

The two factions in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday resumed their brickbats with the Deputy National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff-led party, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, accusing the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, of fuelling the leadership crisis because of the N50 million monthly subvention he is getting from governors.

Ojougboh, a former National Vice Chairman of the PDP (South-south), also alleged that Makarfi is seeking to further his presidential ambition by tailor-guiding the party’s national convention.But in a swift response, the leadership of the Makarfi-led faction of the party accused Sheriff of receiving Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and monetary inducements from agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Makarfi had last Sunday slammed both Sheriff and Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State on their handling of the reconciliation plan, accusing them of pushing for a selfish agenda.
Ojougboh who spoke at a press conference yesterday berated Makarfi for rejecting the political solution being pushed forward in the proposals by the Dickson -led reconciliation committee.
According to him, the reason Makarfi is uncomfortable about the convention is because “the table was crumbling under his feet” and his committee will no longer be relevant if reconciliation succeeds.

“The reason why the caretaker committee is protesting is that they have seen that the table is now crumbling fast under their feet. All the organs of the party are cueing into the reconciliation and when the reconciliation pulls through, they are out and Makarfi can only come as member of the BoT and so the N50 million monthly subvention from governors will stop. They get subvention from the governors every month and when reconciliation happens, that subvention will stop.

“Secondly, Makarfi wants a situation where he will tailor-make the convention to suit his interest because he has come out to say that he will be contesting for the presidency of the country. We are very mindful that we are not going to tie our party around any individual. That is why we are studying the position of the reconciliation committee and that is good enough to advance our party,” he said.

Yesterday’s allegation by Ojougboh has however shown that contrary to his claims that the governors of the party and 90 per cent of the stakeholders are supporting Sheriff-led PDP NWC’s move to hold convention.

On the position of Makarfi that he, Sheriff and NWC members should step down before a national convention, Ojougboh said Makarfi is standing on nothing and does not have anything to step down on.

“Our waving the olive branch does not mean that we are weak. If Makarfi has a position let him put it in writing and we will consider it,” he said.

While defending the legitimacy of his position as the Deputy National Chairman of the party as well, as that of the position of the Acting National Publicity Secretary, Bernard Mikko, Ojougboh explained that the former Deputy National Chairman, Uche Secondus; former party spokesman, Chief Olisa Metuh, were among officers of the party who resigned their positions and collected N5 million severance packages.

Ojougboh said he and Mikko were appointed by National Working Committee (NWC) to replace Secondus pending ratification by the National Executive Committee (NEC).
He insisted that Secondus had resigned and submitted an indemnity to the court that the party should not be held liable for their severance allowance.

“Secondus resigned, signed an indemnity in court and has received N5 million severance package. He went to court to indemnify his resignation. On what grounds should Makarfi be asking that Secondus should be brought back?”

Ojougboh said the Sheriff leadership has taken exception to the visits to party leaders by Professor Jerry Gana-led Strategy Review and Political Affairs Committee, adding that the committee was not set up by the party and as such should be discontinued forthwith.
“We take serious view of Prof. Jerry Gana’s going round to meet our members because that committee was not set up by the party and should be discontinued forthwith.

“We want to make it clear that this report of the reconciliation committee is on behalf of the reconciliation committee set up by the NEC. It is a standing committee that was inaugurated by Bamanga Tukur. It was adopted as a working paper and not exhaustive. Anybody with contribution will be accepted and considered,” he said.
In its response, the leadership of the National Caretaker Committee accused the Sheriff-led leadership of receiving SUVs and monetary inducements from agents of the APC.

The view of the caretaker committee came just as the leadership insists that it would only support the political solution being brokered by the former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The spokesman of the Makarfi, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, asked Sheriff to tell Nigerians which APC governor, minister or official bought SUVs for them.

Adeyeye accused Ojougboh and Sheriff of engaging in cheap blackmail, by making spurious allegations against the caretaker committee, adding that no such amount of money is being giving to the committee.

He said there is nothing illegal or untoward in receiving contributions from party members or even governors elected on the platform of the party.
“Yes we do receive contribution from the governors and other elected lawmakers but I must state that we have not been getting enough for the operation of the services. We definitely have not received that kind amount as claimed by Ojougboh.

“Nevertheless, no matter how little, it is better to be funded by our party members than by the APC as is the case with Sheriff and his cohorts. Ojougboh should tell us which APC governor, minister or official bought jeeps for them? Governor Fayose has also made a public allegation that Sheriff has received the sum of $1 million from the APC to organise a new convention. Sheriff is yet to publicly refute the allegation,” he said.

Adeyeye who dismissed Ojougboh’s allegation that the chairman of the caretaker committee, Makarfi, is fueling the conflict due to his presidential ambition, said instead, it is Sheriff that is doing the bidding of his paymaster, the APC.
He also accused the former Borno State governor of trying to evade the law by refusing to be served with notices from the Supreme Court.

On the attack on the Jerry Gana-led Strategy Review and Inter Party committee by Sheriff, the caretaker committee spokesman said the action of the former Borno governor shows that he is pursuing an agenda of his paymaster, the ruling APC.
He said rather than accuse Makarfi of fueling the crisis in order to further personal agenda, it is Sheriff that has refused the stand down, instead, he is posturing to supervise the convention.

“We accepted President Goodluck Jonathan and the Governor’s comprehensive political solution. It calls for the resignation of Sheriff and the so called NWC and also the National Caretaker Committee to create a level playing field for all, and to build trust among all members.
“The agreement is then to be submitted to the Supreme Court as the judgment of the court. These would have provided both political and legal solution to the logjam.

“But Sheriff rejected it, and continued to insist that he would conduct a national convention – when he does not enjoy the trust and confidence of the vast majority of party members. It is therefore very clear who has a personal or hidden agenda. And I dare say, it is Sheriff and not the National Caretaker Committee. The blackmail of Ojougboh is too cheap and too simplistic,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sheriff, has advised the Jerry Gana-led Strategy Review and Inter-Party Affairs Committee to stop speaking for the party.
Represented by Ojougboh, at a news conference in Abuja on yesterday Sheriff described the Gana-led committee as “illegal”.

The committee was constituted on November 10, 2016, by the National Caretaker Committee of the party headed by Makarfi, which was described as illegal by the recent judgment of Appeal Court, Port Harcourt.

The court, in the judgment declared Mr. Sheriff the authentic national chairman of the party.
The committee had been visiting founding and prominent members of PDP, including former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, Tony Anenih, Bamanga Tukur and former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Sheriff said that the report of the committee, which was submitted to the scrapped national caretaker committee on February17, 2017, would not be useful in the ongoing effort at re-positioning the party.
“Professor Jerry Gana going round the country on behalf of the PDP is unacceptable to the party.

“I have the report of Gana here where he recommended that all members of the Sheriff group should be suspended from the party.
“We find it very uncomfortable that a person of Jerry Gana’s standing, if actually he wants to help the party as at this time of crisis, would recommend that a faction or members of the party should be expelled for their political beliefs.

“That is very unbecoming of a man of Gana’s status. So, we take very serious views to his going round as whatever committee he calls himself.
“The committee was not set up by the party and we are giving notice that forthwith, he should discontinue with it,” he said.