THE National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has said the call on the committee to step aside made by Bayelsa state governor and chairman of the party’s reconciliation committee, Seriake Dickson, amounted to an open declaration of war on the committee which is an agent of the party organs.
In its reaction to the call made by the governor at the weekend, the National Publicity Secretary of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led NCC, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, in Abuja on Monday said Dickson’s call was shocking and embarrassing.
It reminded the governor that the NCC did not appoint itself as it was a creation of the party organs, noting that it was therefore wrong for Dickson to unilaterally call for the resignation of the leadership.
According to the NCC, “The statement coming from one of our most respected Governors is to say the least shocking and embarrassing.
“The National Caretaker Committee did not appoint itself. It is a creation of the National Convention of the party at which Gov. Dickson as a prominent leader of the party was present. As the Governor admitted in his statement the NCC was put in place and enjoys the support of over 80 percent of members of the party.
“That being the case , the proper thing to do if Gov. Dickson wants the NCC to be disbanded is to persuade and convince the 80 percent of the members on the merits of his point of view. The NCC is merely the agent of the party. The principals are the organs of the party and the 80 percent of members that he alluded to. The NCC has no choice than to obey the command of its principals.”
“It is therefore most unfair to cast aspersions on members of the NCC. Gov. Dickson should know where to direct his efforts. He should convince our principals who are the organs of the party on the need for the NCC to resign. We cannot and will not do his job.”
The statement reiterated the preparedness of the NCC to resign as long as that was the decision of the party organs, adding that it was the Senator Ali Sheriff’s group that failed to respect the call by former President Goodluck Jonathan for both sides to step aside.
The statement added: “As men of integrity, we have said it countless number of times, and we are repeating it now for emphasis sake, that the NCC members will quit office immediately the party organs that put it in place ask us to disband.”
“Nigerians are aware that former President, Goodluck Jonathan had suggested the resignations of Senator Sheriff and that of the NCC as a solution to the crisis in the context of finding a suitable political solution to the crisis.”
“While the NCC agreed to step down in the interest of peace, Senator Sheriff has bluntly refused. Who should we blame for the lingering crisis in the light of this? Definitely not the NCC. It is therefore most unfair to say that the NCC is averse to finding a political solution to the crisis.”
“We are bemused that while Gov. Dickson admits that the NCC was mandated by the organs of the party to pursue the appeal at the Supreme Court, he at the same time wants its members to resign. This is evidently self-contradictory.”
“To successfully accomplish the task of reconciliation it is important to be seen by all sides as an impartial honest broker. We are worried that Gov. Dickson has seriously undermined the work of his committee by taking sides with Sheriff. We are even more concerned about his open declaration of war on the NCC. Rather than reconciling the party is being further pulled apart.”
The NCC said it found it difficult to put the party in the hands Sheriff who it said had openly worked against the interest of the party.
The statement added: “We are not amused by the urge for us to surrender the destiny of the party to Sheriff who brazenly and without any remorse destroyed our chances in the Edo and Ondo State Governorship elections. Gov. Dickson will recall all the efforts made by former Gov. Mimiko of Ondo state and his good self to persuade Sheriff and his cohorts not to destroy the Ondo elections.
“Everything ended in futility. Those are the same people he wants us to trust with our destiny.”
The statement urged all party members to remain steadfast and committed to the ideals of our great party, declaring: “After darkness comes a glorious dawn.”
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