Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi in this interview with SAXONE AKHAINE, Northern Bureau Chief on the Ondo Governorship and why the crisis in the PDP has remain protracted.

What is your view on the unfolding scenario in Ondo State?
I don’t know what informed INEC’s decision, but what I read is that they acted on the orders of a court of law and not on the basis of what they believe is right as umpire, and as a body authorised to know the true status of political parties, the true status of the primaries conducted for the nomination of candidates. And I want you to recall that we gave INEC relevant notices as stipulated by law, they observed our primary and they took our nomination. It was reported that the other side did primary at midnight in Ibadan. It was not covered by INEC or any authority for that matter. So, if a court of law gives INEC some orders that INEC, for whatever reason felt compelled at that time to comply with, they are ignoring all the other laws relating to regulations and how candidates should emerge. No court of law in the first instance, should give such an order. Be that as it may, it has been our principle not to personalise issues. Because our judicial system provides for appeal process and we have appealed. And we have absolute
confidence that the appellate court should be able, before the election date to determine the legitimate candidate of the PDP. And we are confident that the truth will be upheld. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) is our candidate and one properly nominated by our party men and women in Ondo State.

Let us talk about the reconciliation move in the PDP. Any positive development?
Well, you know, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) we signed, even the opening paragraph stated that without prejudice to ongoing court cases. So, if any case was before any court of law before we signed the MOU, the understanding was that those cases could be going on until reconciliation is attained. But, to file new cases after signing that MOU is what can be considered as a clear and complete breach of that MOU. However, before we signed that MOU and before the leader that convened us, the understanding we reached before him (and people can ask him, he will attest to that) was that the other side (Sheriff’s side) will join the caretaker committee. And that was the basic agreement that was reached.

And then, we also agreed that we should set up an equal number of party men and women that would sit down look at the modality of integrating the two sides into the caretaker committee and also draw the modality for the withdrawal of all court cases, or we reach consensual settlement of the cases, where withdrawal is not the best option. But, it must be something that we all consent to, so as to prevent future litigation. Because of some gaps, if you leave them now in the name of peace, somebody else, it may not be Modu Sherrif or anybody associated with Modu Sherrif, it can be anybody else, anytime can still go to court asking for the same issues to be determined. Now, let us use this and work together to mutually determine all those contentious issues that we commonly agreed on, so that we prevent such issues coming up in the future. That was a general understanding. Initially, the committee was to be made up of twelve from both sides, later it was Ali Modu Sheriff himself who thought that we should expand it to 14, 14. This is because of his thought that some members of the caretaker committee were to be members of the committee, because they know where we are and they can add to the committee in making input. See, from his own committee members, he will also bring two to also join the other people. We said that it was a good idea. Later, I sent a message that we needed to expand it to 15 – 15 because, instead of two governors, we wanted to include three governors in order to carry everybody along. So, that was how we hit the figure 15 -15. And the issue now became who to chair that committee and the terms of reference.

On who to chair the committee, there were names that were mentioned. In my opinion, I thought the person who was able to convene us without dispute, should be able to chair the committee. In suggesting any other name you don’t know how other people would receive it. Of course, I know, Modu Sherrif suggested the former President Goodluck Jonathan. But we said that he shouldn’t be dragged into it, more so, we don’t know how it will end up. If it ends up well, fine and well. Supposing it doesn’t end up well, you would have succeeded in bringing down his stature as the PDP immediate past President. To say that he is involved in something, which will fail later, it wasn’t wise to get him involved in such issues. We actually felt that it will be better that he plays an advisory role and not a central role. And so, we didn’t really decide on who to take the position, it was opened for discussion. But, the key issue where we had problem was the issue of terms of reference.

We developed a term of reference and they developed their terms of reference too. They were supposed to be harmonised. We developed ours on the basis of the first meeting we had, where we signed an MOU. And that first meeting established that we are all going to collapse into a caretaker committee; they will join the caretaker committee. Now, they developed a terms of reference, which maintained that he would return as party chairman and as such that we would join his working committee, which was a complete reversal of what we agreed upon. I know that at that moment the meeting became suspended. But, there was also a meeting between the three of us; the Northern leader, Modu and myself, where he tried to personalise the issues, saying both himself and I should leave the scene. And I said I have heard this before, because he had said that before. And at one meeting I even ask that a paper should be brought for me to resign.

After all we were given three months and we are still here. If election, had taken place in August I would not have been on this seat. I didn’t go to court to stop the convention from taking place. He went to court, so he is the one elongating my stay in this position, I am not the one elongating it. This is evident by the actions Modu and his people are taking. Be that as it may, I said he is not the only party to this case, there are about eight of them. If he wants true settlement everybody should agree with what we are doing and withdraw cases in courts. Even if it means we would all work together, to even set up a completely new caretaker committee that would be given two, three months to carry out a convention, fine and good. But, let’s withdraw the cases; let us make sure that all the loopholes are blocked, because nobody would want to be ambushed. This is because he (Modu Sheriff) has said many things and reneged on them.

So, what gives me the confidence now that he will say something and I will believe him? I have to see evidence that he means what he says and we are implementing the issues that will lead to a lasting and credible resolution of the crisis. And I said if he agrees to that, it is fine and good, you can go and talk to our people. I reminded him that he may be exercising authority the way he was displaying it, but he should know that I represent the organs of the party. I don’t represent myself and as such, I don’t have anything personal to negotiate. Whatever I can take back to the governors, our National Assembly members, Board of Trustees (BOT), and the other parties must be something, which makes sense to them and which will be acceptable to them. I cannot sit down alone with him and negotiate what I know will generally not be acceptable to the parties that I represent. And I said why don’t we allow the 30-man committee; 15 from my side and 15 from your end to talk. When they talk, let us see the resolution they will bring out, which all of us would accept. Here again, he said may be it is too large, we should reduce the number to six. In politics? PDP? A committee of 30 to be reduced to six? Ok, I said if it is six who do I pick? They are not my boys. Some of these people they are older than me, some of them are in higher positions than me, and some are my colleagues. I cannot be treating and toying around with them as if they are my servants or my boys.

If we agree on something and everybody signed on it, let us allow it to work. Whatever it is, let us allow those nominated to sit down and talk. And as usual, that one sounded unacceptable to him. Now, that has made a lot of people to doubt his sincerity. Even initially, people didn’t trust him so much. But, we took time to convince them to agree to form that 15-man committee from our side, but they had their doubts. And I am sure that the behaviour exhibited by him has further created a lot more doubts. So, it is not about me, reducing these issues to my being myopic; I represent the organs of the party. Yes, we want peace but we want an everlasting peace and not a temporary or smokescreen peace that would further down the line create more problems than we have now.

There was a time that Modu Sherriff accused you and your Caretaker committee of frustrating the peace effort.
That was what I explained to you. From what I have said so far, who is frustrating the peace initiative? He is the one that is always changing the goal post. My fear is that he may not be in complete control of situation on his side, because there are different people with different interests. And if their interests are not served, which may be localised, they will not allow for peace. So, if that is the case how do you sit down and make peace, believing that you have solved the problem and only for the next day you see that the problem is still there, may be one person’s name is removed, but seven peoples’ names remain.

If the disagreement continues, what will be the future of reconciliation and peace in the party?
Well, the mandate that I had from BOT, the governors, National Assembly caucus, state chapter chairmen, was that we set up a committee of 15 each, to sit down and discuss on the basis of the initial agreement we reached. And this peace process can progress if he (Sheriff) goes back on what we agreed and allows this committee to begin sitting and talking. What the outcome may be, I am not in a position to say. But, at least we would have created a forum for talking to take place. And for me, anything that comes out of that, I will accept and implement. I have absolutely nothing personal. And what I am saying is that to personalise it between myself and Modu is purely to miss the point, because on his side, it is beyond him. There are so many other issues. There are so many other parties and if they don’t sign unto this and withdraw the cases in court, what is the essence of even making peace with him. The problem is, because of these issues in court, which have caused confusion.

You have been talking about invisible hands responsible for the crisis in PDP. Are you also saying that these hands are behind what is happening Ondo governorship?
Look at this Ondo matter and what transpired of recent. We are at the Court of Appeal. I will not go into details, because the matter is before the court, so that I will not be seen as breaching any kind of law. But, the other side, Modu and his people, instead of cooperating with the court, and all of us to have expedited hearing to determine this matter to logical conclusion, told the court there was no need to hurry. And they came with this malicious petition, of some bribery or whatever. We as a party we find it difficult to pay monthly salary of about 14 million naira, so where do you raise money to give somebody as bribe and for what? But I see that as a tactic to delay justice. Even the new panel, I understand that there was a motion that it should disband itself. So, what do they want? They want to be judge and jury in their own case or what? What is the intention? The intention to me, is to frustrate the settlement of the case in the court, in order to make sure PDP loses the election. And if that is the case, the only thing I can suspect is that they have a contract to do so. And many people suspect it.
[ad unit=2]