Sheriff gives terms for resolving PDP crisis, rejects Wike as head of convention panel

• Wants proposed P’Harcourt exercise cancelled, new venue, date to be fixed by stakeholders

Factional national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff, has listed conditions for resolution of the leadership crisis rocking the party.

At a meeting, yesterday, with the Jerry Gana-led reconciliatory panel, set up by the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Sheriff said‎ the proposed national convention scheduled for August 17 in Port Harcourt had to be called off and a new date fixed by party stakeholders.

A source at the meeting revealed that Sheriff agreed to make concession but only in accordance with the PDP constitution.

He was also said to have “insisted that the ward, local government and state congresses already concluded and approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC) had to stand.”

The factional chairman, at the opening‎ session, had accused party leaders, including some members of the panel, of being responsible for the crisis, saying the problem would not have happened had leaders lived up to their responsibilities.

“Some of our leaders are party to our problem.‎ The moment we want to use one impunity to address another, it will not work,” he said.

At a joint media briefing with Gana at the end of the meeting, Sheriff noted that the BoT was now better informed on the crisis.

“All that was discussed today were the problems. They will go back to the BoT that sent them. I am sure that at the next meeting, they will come back with recommendations that will bring lasting solutions and peace to the party,” he said.