Four days into the prayer and fasting embarked upon by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Women Forum, a silver lining appeared Thursday evening with an agreement by contending parties not to inflame passions with public comments.
Incidentally, Thursday, the appeal by Makarfi group against the court of appeal judgment that installed Sheriff came up at the Supreme Court.
in a statement circulated yesterday, it was disclosed that the National Reconciliation Committee of the party headed by Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, brought the major contending groups in the party together.
The parties agreed to sheathe their swords in the interest of peace in the PDP, and said it was time to put their differences aside and work to take back power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)
In a communique signed by both the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and the Ahmed Makarfi Caretaker Committee , both groups agreed to halt the current practice of making public statements capable of further inflaming the crisis.
The release was jointly signed Mr Bernard Mikko, the PDP Acting National Publicity Secretary for Sheriff’s group, his counterpart in the Makarfi faction, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, factional acting national legal adviser of the PDP , Mr Dave Iorhemba and Mr Ahmed Gulak, former political adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
During the event which was witnessed by Governor Dickson and former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, the groups also resolved to work with the National Reconciliation Committee to put an end to the prolonged crisis.
The major actors in the matter noted they would henceforth stop activities that are capable of further weakening the party, rather than strengthen it for the challenges ahead.
They also agreed “ That all actors of the party should desist from making derogatory, inflammatory and divisive statements against party officials, stakeholders and members.
“That the party should not dissipate her energy amongst itself but to focus on how to unite and be a formidable opposition capable of taking over power from the failed APC led government”.
The communique added, “That all key actors in the on-going peace process should henceforth desist from making public press statements attacking each other and statements insinuating negative acts capable of dragging the party to the mud.
“In conclusion all key actors in the PDP have agreed to work together with the National Reconciliation Committee led by Governor Seriake Dickson to engender peace and genuine reconciliation”.
