Factional PDP seeks greater political alliances

The National Caretaker Committee of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a panel to discuss with politicians of like minds within and outside the political grouping to seek ways of forging stronger alliances.

Led by a former information minister, Prof. Jerry Gana, the 115-member strategy review and inter-party affairs committee, has three terms of reference. They include exploring strategies to engage all possible allies with a view to building positive relationship in the overall interest and in furtherance of democracy in Nigeria, considering and recommending strategies to reposition the party and recommending necessary amendments to the constitution of the party.

Chairman of the committee, Mohammed Ahmed Makarfi, said the party could no longer continue to remain inactive because of an unending internal crisis at the risk of losing the bulk of its members.

He said: “We do not begin by drawing conclusions but life is dynamic, so is politics. You don’t remain docile and inactive; you don’t remain cornered so that you will be toiled around with at the whims and caprices of anybody.

“After due consultation, we felt that time is now right to set up a committee, called strategy review and inter-party affairs committee.

“Strategy is how to come back to power in 2019 through every democratic means. And inter-party affairs, even as caretaker committee, we get approaches by various groups and we felt that it is not the few of us that should be talking to this people.
The committee may seem large but its responsibilities are wide and huge but you must break into sub-committees, talking to different groups. It is also the role of the committee to advise on how to make the party stronger and better.”

On the failing peace talks with the Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction of the party, Makarfi said that there was an understanding at the last meeting that it would be based on the decision of the national caretaker committee.

Besides, spokesman of the committee, Dayo Adeyeye, said that the party had to find a way of achieving the desired greatness.