The victorious faction of the Peoples Democratic Party has announced a “general amnesty” for its members who it accused of holding the party to ransom since 2016.
It party said it would overlook the sins committed against the party by the Ali Modu Sheriff faction and admit them back into the fold with a stern warning that same should not be repeated.
Basking in the euphoria of Wednesday’s Supreme Court judgement, which restored him to office, the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, told reporters in Abuja on Thursday that the party will open its doors to Sheriff’s group and non-PDP members in order to get set to wrestle power from the All Progressives Congress in 2019.
Apart from Sheriff, some of those in his camp were the party’s former National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo; Sheriff’s deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, and the acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bernard Mikko.
Speaking through the spokesperson for the caretaker committee, Dayo Adeyeye, Makarfi called on those with pending cases against the party at state levels, to withdraw them.
Adeyeye, a former Minister of State for Works, said the PDP would provide a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2019 general elections.
He stated, “No, we won’t punish anyone for what had happened in the past. Our doors are open for everyone, including those who are not members of the PDP.
“It is general amnesty for all. It is when you begin to commit fresh sins or causing fresh troubles that we will then look at it.”
Adeyeye alleged that the APC had failed the people, saying Nigerians were looking for a party that would offer solutions to current challenges.
He stated, “APC is a monumental disaster. People are looking for alternative and now the Supreme Court has restored their hope. We will provide the alternative platform.
“As we can see now, 2019 election will be a walkover in our favour. APC will begin to see virile opposition henceforth.”
In a swift reaction, Sheriff said he was not sure that Makarfi could be calling for amnesty for him and his group, adding that until he was sure that the former governor made the call, he would not respond.
Sheriff, who spoke through Ojougboh, said, “He said that he was going to grant us amnesty? Are we criminals? No, he couldn’t have said that.
“Let’s wait and see. If he said that, then you would hear from me tomorrow. We are not criminals and how can someone be talking of amnesty?”
Earlier, Makarfi, while speaking when some former PDP ministers paid the members of the caretaker committee a courtesy visit, said opposition to the APC government would have died if the Supreme Court had ruled in favour of Sheriff.
He chided the ruling party, saying: “APC is even afraid of holding the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting not to talk of national convention. Maybe, the party is afraid that doing so could lead to its disintegration and that it could scatter.”
He said the PDP leadership would meet on Monday and Tuesday next week where decisions would be reached on when to call a NEC meeting.
