By implication, Makarfi has by this position conceded to the
embattled national chairman of the PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, to produce
the gubernatorial candidate of the party ahead of the November 2017 election in
Anambra.
Sheriff had on Monday met with PDP chieftains from Anambra
where they discussed the forthcoming election.
The former Kaduna governor said state chapters of the PDP
where elections are to be conducted in future should ensure they produce
popular candidates to avoid splitting of votes.
Makarfi, who spoke in Kaduna while reacting on the crisis in
the party and efforts by former President Goodluck Jonathan and other
stakeholders to broker peace, said members of the caretaker committee still
enjoy the support of all stakeholders.
He said the caretaker committee will not engage in any
anti-party activities that would jeopardize the prospect of the PDP in any
election in the future.
“Yes, Modu Sheriff is performing certain duties; I was also
approached as caretaker committee chairman by some state chapters on some
matters. And because I don’t want to cause the kind of problem like what Modu
Sheriff caused in Edo and Ondo, I referred them to Wadata Plaza because I am a
party man.
Daily Trust reports that Sheriff is currently holding sway
at the Wadata Plaza, which is the national headquarters of the party.
According to Makarfi, “I could have chosen to behave the way
Modu Sheriff behaved in Edo and Ondo; but we reflected on it and say ‘no we
would not do that. Let us not engage in what would deny the party any chance of
electoral victory at whatever level irrespective of whether people are
sympathetic to us or not. The interest of the party should be paramount,”’ he
said.
By Andrew Agbese
