PDP only on sabbatical – Makarfi

By AbdulRaheem Aodu
Kaduna

Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has declared that the party has only gone on sabbatical and would certainly bounce back.
He made the declaration at the weekend in Kaduna when Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state paid him a solidarity visit.
He gave the assurance that the party would surely bounce back to glory in 2019.

He said: “No doubt, in the cause of events, we must have hurt each other. Why can’t we talk to each other, reconcile with each other and learn from past mistakes. On behalf of all, as chairman of the caretaker committee, I wish to apologise to all, from whichever side they belong, who feel hurt by whatever means. We should refrain from making speeches that will not promote the cause of reconciliation.
“Let us achieve a reasonable level if not complete peace and harmony within the family before we begin to go out there and talk. We are only on sabbatical; we have a formidable team and we will surely bounce back.”

Dickson, who is the chairman PDP national reconciliation committee, said the PDP Governors past and present are in support of Makarfi’s leadership because of his general acceptability across the country, his focus, experience and political savvy, which they believe would help unite the members, reposition the party foe the better and bring back its glory.
He said: “I am here to consult with our national chairman who is one of our respected leaders of party and of our country, on the way forward for our country. I want to congratulate him on his emergence as the national chairman of the caretaker committee, a job that he didn’t seek. I want to thank him for taking the gauntlet, for being a good party leader as he has always been, for being the agent for the rebirth of our party in these very trying times.
“I am here in my capacity as the chairman of the reconciliation committee of our party, and in times like this, all leaders and party men and women need to put aside, ego personal differences and put the interest of our party before any other thing. Nigeria needs PDP and PDP is coming back strong. PDP now has a focused leader, a person that is trusted and respected across the nation.

“Mr. Chairman, all your governors are behind you and I have, in my capacity, as chairman of the National Reconciliation Committee, been in touch with leaders of our party across the length and breadth of our country and one thing everybody says is that with you as our national chairman, our party has gotten it right.
“We are on the path of reconciliation ‎and I am here to brief you on the efforts that are ongoing and also to seek your counsel on the way forward. We have no doubt Sen. Makarfi will build a strong and formidable PDP.”