In this pulsating interview with Hon. Bernard Mikko the spokesman for Sen. Alimodu Sheriff-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP), he fires a huge shot at embattled factional chairman Sen. Makarfi and his backers threatening to register a new party ahead of 2019 general elections.
Uchechukwu Ugboaja in this exclusive interview seeks answers to why the PDP crisis persists despite efforts by former President Jonathan’s intervention, what will be left of Africa’s largest political party if it eventually splits and much more.
Excerpts
QUESTION: A lot of your party members and followers alike have claimed that your principal Sen. Alimodu Sheriff is simply playing the card of the ruling party as the lingering crisis seems to be in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In fact many have claimed that he is actually a mole planted by the ruling APC to cause an internal implosion within the PDP. Don’t you see any sense in that view?
RESPONSE: That is absolutely preposterous. Are they referring to a Sen. Alimodu Sheriff who has initiated several moves with party Elders and strategic stakeholders (including Gen Gusau)and all the parties agreed to a political solution and to abide by the court of appeal judgement without further litigation. After the Makarfi group reneged on this understanding proceeded to the apex court, we accept the recommendations of the Peace & Reconciliation Committee chaired by Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State.
Loyal party members are committed to the ideal of the party and abide by philosophy, manifesto and ideology of the PDP. Any suggestion to the contrary is simply mischievous. Triggering the process of registration of new political association is an attempt to seek new window for political bargain and economic advantage.
QUESTION: But it was widely reported that Sen. Sheriff walked out on President Jonathan in the course of the meeting, how did that action help in the course of this reconciliation process?
RESPONSE: The former President (Jonathan) has not said Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff walked out on him. Remember that there were several issues preceding the meeting and when the concerned we’re not addressed some of the participants left, including Gov. Nyesom Wike and Sen Godswill Akpabio who left earlier than Sheriff. The Meeting brokered by fmr President Jonathan was to appraise the report of the Peace and Reconciliation Committee chaired by Gov. Dickson.
President Goodluck Jonathan assured us that it is only those that were on the list sent in by both groups will be allowed into the meeting, and we agreed. In fact he asked us to send our protocols to carry out the accreditation for these persons which we also did but to our amazement just an hour before the meeting commenced the whole gallery was filled up. I personally advised Sen. Alimodu Sheriff not to come anymore for the meeting because the conditions earlier agreed to had already been flouted, but Sheriff being a man of his words decided to go ahead to honour the Former President even though he had just flew in from Egypt hours before that meeting commenced.
How then can it be claimed that Sheriff walked out on Jonathan when before Sheriff left Sen. Goodswill Akpabio had left, Gov. Nyesom Wike also left long before the National Chairman left. So why is it only being reported that Sheriff walked out of the meeting and therefore doesn’t want any political solution to this matter option. In fact if there is anyone who wishes that these issues be resolved I can tell you it is Alimodu Sheriff the National Chairman who accepted to reconcile the issue despite President Jonathan’s failure to take full charge of the reconciliation process, because it was eventually high jacked by these same elements who do not wish the party well.
I’m sure you’re aware that we had already fully accepted the findings and recommendations of the Governor Dickson led reconciliation committee and the meeting with Jonathan was just a follow up to that, so what reasons would make Sheriff decide to scuttle the process along the way?
It was simply because Jonathan allowed these people to overshadow him. How can Gov. Fayose insist that Sen. Alimodu Sheriff must not be addressed as the National Chairman of the party at that meeting and President Jonathan who had earlier recognised him accordingly during in his opening statements, later reverse his position when confronted by Journalists. Although I would not want to join issues with the former President, but early indicates that he was not in charge of that process.
When this process began, Jonathan requested for 9 names from both Makarfi and Sheriff, however, Sheriff later discovered that 115 names was later submitted by the Makarfi Camp that was where Sheriff began to loose confidence in that process, but remember Sheriff was away in Egypt while Cairo was in London, it was I and Gulak that was doing the major work on ground. Eventually Sheriff was able to generate about 30 names despite pressure to generate 100 names to match the 115 names already submitted by Makarfi, because it was agreed that there was not going to be any votes, cheering/jeering, clapping and the sequence of the meeting was further agreed upon by both groups where Sheriff was to be given an opportunity to make a brief closing remark at the end of the event to thank everyone for honouring the invitation to come for this meeting. In fact we were assured that if we found any unaccredited person in the hall, that Sheriff has the right to walk away from the meeting.
QUESTION: But as it appears now there are claims that you are seriously supported by the APC led federal government to frustrate any attempt to resolve this imbroglio even beyond 2019, so their only option to challenge the APC is to leave you with the carcass of whatever may be left of the PDP and register a new party. What is your reaction Hon?
RESPONSE: If the other group and registering new party what is their business with the PDP again? I can confidently tell you that no such division or schism exists, dissidents are only at work for their selfish reasons.