PDP crisis festers as Fayose disowns Dickson, alleges APC gave Sheriff $1m for convention

Ekiti state governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum Chairman, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has distanced himself from Governor Seriake Dickson’s Reconciliation Committee report targeted at bringing a lasting solution to the crisis rocking the party.

This is even as the governor alleged that over $1 million had been provided by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to fund the convention being planned by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff group.

Fayose added that “there cannot be any meaningful reconciliation with an impossible character like Senator Sheriff who is obviously working for political interests different from that of the PDP.”

Dickson’s committee had in their report okayed a national convention slated to hold tentatively on June 30 and to be presided over by Sheriff.

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

But reacting on Thursday in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose reiterated his support for the decision of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee to appeal the Court of Appeal, Port-Harcourt judgement on the leadership of the party.

He said, “There cannot be any meaningful reconciliation with an impossible character like Senator Ali Modu Sheriff who is obviously working for political interests different from that of the PDP.”

“I’m aware that well over $1 million had been provided by the APC to fund the convention being planned by the Sheriff group while adequate security will also be provided by the security agencies that are now more like part of the APC. This is being done so as to sustain the party’s plot to turn Nigeria to a one party State.”

The governor who said his reaction was in his capacity as the governor of Ekiti State added, “All constitutionally recognised organs of the party, including staff of the national secretariat are with the Markafi led Caretaker Committee and since political party is about membership, Sheriff will continue to carry with himself the burden of lack of legitimacy.

“I respect Governor Dickson, he is my brother and he is entitled to his own personal opinion just as I am entitled to mine. But I must state it categorically that no genuine lover of the PDP will take part in a convention sponsored by the APC.