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Attempts by the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reconcile the warring factions of the party in Kwara State failed on Tuesday, as the two factions stormed out of a peace meeting in Abuja angrily.
This comes as the Chairman, National Caretaker Committee, Ahmed Makarfi has cautioned the two groups that defectors may be asked to lead the party in the state, should they fail to put their house in order.
Makarfi had called a meeting at the National Secretariat to broker peace between the camps led by Iyiola Oyedepo and Sunday Fagbemi, with a former lawmaker Solomon Ewuga as mediator between the two warring factions.
But the over two-hour meeting ended in a deadlock, as some of the stakeholders were seen discussing angrily in clusters, while others hurriedly left the party premises.
When approached for comments, former Minister of National Planning, Suleiman Abubakar, a Professor, refused to speak with newsmen but directed them to a former senator, Suleiman Ajadi, who angrily rebuked them saying: “What journalists, what journalists, can’t you see we are discussing”?
Recall that at the August 12 National Convention, the highest decision making organ of the party dissolved all executives in Kwara, Adamawa, Lagos, Borno, Osun, Ogun and Kebbi States and asked the NCC to constitute caretaker committees in the affected states.
But speaking before the closed door session, Makarfi cited chapters as Lagos, Adamawa already making progress and will soon make their submissions to NCC.
He cautioned the two camps to tow the path of four other states that have resolved to work together, noting that Kwara State was reputed to be politically mature.
Urging them to put their house in order, Makarfi warned that they risk losing the party’s structure in the state to new defectors.
His words: “Kwara State is the only state we are meeting with like this. We have four states that we already have submissions from them based on the resolutions passed and approved at Convention. All sides to the conflict in the states jointly signed and made a submission in the overall interest of the party.
“They didn’t require us to meet with them. Of all the seven states, we have four already and the others will conclude over the Sallah holidays.
“People can question the leadership qualities in any particular state where there are seven affected, and six will get it done and one will be there fighting among themselves. And Kwara is highly politically mature and active to prevent this kind of isolation.
“We have delayed the state because of influx of people joining the party and they want accommodation. So, what we want is not just people who are in PDP to reconcile and move forward, we also have influx of people wanting to join the party. And nobody will wait for any particular person.
“The earlier people put their heads together then they can be in a greater position to have, no matter the kind of influx, overwhelming control of political events. In this kind of situation, delay is dangerous. Kwara, as you are waiting, you don’t know what development may occur. And before you know it, you start regretting why did you have to wait for so long.”
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
