Sheriff, Makarfi Agrees To Peace Talk As Police Again Seals PDP Secretariat

The Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase Friday, met with the Ali Modu Sheriff, Ahmed Makarfi groups with a view to finding lasting solution to the crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) .

After exhaustive deliberations, in the meeting, each of the factions – Senator Ali Modu Sherif’s and Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi’s-led factions agreed to nominate four representatives, each, for peace talks to arrive at a harmonized position within one week; while the PDP Secretariat at Wadata House Plaza and Legacy House should be under lock and key pending the outcome of the resolution.

This will be the second time in two weeks that security agents have sealed the National Headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja.

It was learnt that security agents acted to prevent a repeat of Thursday’s violent confrontation between supporters of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee and those backing the ousted National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

Armed policemen and their counterparts from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps prevented entry into the locked premises even as journalists were told to stay off the premises till Monday.

While appealing to the politicians to help in educating their followers on the need to act and conduct themselves within the ambit of the law, the IGP said the Force would not relent in its mandate to protect lives and property without fear or favour.

The crisis rocking the party took a new dimension on Thursday when the supporters of Sheriff and Makarfi, clashed at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja, causing commotion.

While Sheriff, said to have been removed at the party’s national convention in Port Harcourt is insisting he remains the national chairman, Ahmed Makarfi, heads the Caretaker Committee set up to pilot the affairs of the party pending the conduct of election into national offices.