Hope for PDP as reconciliation committee draws peace plan, supports Sheriff to convene nat’l convention

Standing Committee on Reconciliation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has drawn a peace plan intended to bring a lasting solution to the leadership crisis rocking the party.

Part of the plan includes a national convention slated to tentatively hold on June 30 and to be presided over by the party national chairman, Sen Ali Modu Sheriff.

The committee also recommended that Sheriff should set up a National Convention Planning Committee (NCPC) made up of party membership from all the organs of the party and other key stakeholders.

Submitting the recommendation of the committee to Senator Sheriff in Abuja on Tuesday, Dickson said that the committee took the decision and others at its meeting which was held in Abuja on the same day.

Addressing journalists soon after submitting the report, Dickson maintained that an acceptable convention will resolve the party’s leadership problem.

He said members of the NCPC will comprise of seven governors, seven senators, 12 members of the House of Reps, six members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and six national vice chairmen.

Others will include 18 zonal chairmen, six speakers of state assemblies; six former governors, former presiding officers of the National Assembly, six prominent women leaders, six youth leaders, six former ministers and 12 others to be nominated by Sheriff in consultation with key stakeholders.

According Dickson, regardless of whatever is the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling on the appeal filed against Sheriff by the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee, the convention must hold.

He further disclosed that Sheriff like other stakeholders of the party are in support of the proposed convention.

He called on other elective party office holders who still lay hold onto their positions to let go and seek a fresh mandate in the coming convention.

He said the party is ready to explore every political solution without prejudice to the appeal pending at the Supreme Court to bring a lasting peace to its persisting crisis.

The report failed to state if Sheriff could still renew his mandate through the convention.

In his reaction, Sheriff said the report/proposal submitted by Dickson would be looked into by the National Working Committee under his leadership.

It was learnt however that majority of the party organs and stakeholders listed by Dickson as members of the convention planning committee are those in Senator Makarfi group.

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