The crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ended Thursday on a peaceful note with the feuding parties agreeing to sheath their swords in the interest of party unity.
National Reconciliation Committee of the PDP headed by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State brokered the deal.
The parties said it was time to put their differences aside and work to take back power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.
PDP in a communique signed by both the Senator Modu Sheriff faction and the Ahmed Makarfi Caretaker Committee, agreed to halt the current practice of making public statements capable of further inflaming the crisis.
The communique was jointly signed Bernard Mikko, the factional PDP Acting National Publicity Secretary for Sheriff’s group and his counterpart in the Makarfi faction, Prince Dayo Adeyeye.
Other signatories are the factional acting National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Dave Iorhemba and Ahmed Gulak, former Political Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
During the event which was witnessed by Governor Dickson and former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, the groups also resolved to work with the National Reconciliation Committee to put an end to the prolonged crisis.
Daily Post reports that the major actors in the matter emphasised that they would henceforth stop activities that were capable of further weakening the party.
The communique reads: “That all actors of the party should desist from making derogatory, inflammatory and divisive statements against party officials, stakeholders and members.
“That the party should not dissipate her energy amongst itself but to focus on how to unite and be a formidable opposition capable of taking over power from the failed APC led government
“That all key actors in the on-going peace process should henceforth desist from making public press statements attacking each other and statements insinuating negative acts capable of dragging the party to the mud.
“In conclusion, all key actors in the PDP have agreed to work together with the National Reconciliation Committee led by Governor Seriake Dickson to engender peace and genuine reconciliation”
Meanwhile the Supreme Court had Thursday morning fixed May 4 for the continuation of hearing in appeals concerning the ongoing leadership crisis of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The apex court gave the date after listening to counsel’s arguments in the appeals challenging the February 17 judgement of the Appeal Court which confirmed former Borno State governor, Ali Sheriff, as leader of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
Mr. Sheriff’s challenger for leadership of the party, Ahmed Makarfi, had approached the Supreme Court after the ruling by the Port Harcourt Division of appellate court, starting the final phase of the judicial battle for the PDP leadership that has lasted almost a year.