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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
AS the leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues to rage, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma has blamed the imbroglio on a cabal within the party. Agbonayinma, a die-hard supporter of the PDP National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff says it is this cabal that has been responsible for the removal of all former leaders of the party. According to the lawmaker who represents Egor /Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency of Edo State, the cabal brought in Sheriff as National Chairman, but when they discovered that his agenda is different from theirs, they decided to force him out. Agbonayinma, also speaks on the health of President Muhammadu Buhari. Excerpts:
Is it still possible to get a political solution to the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after the collapse of the last initiative spearheaded by former President Goodluck Jonathan?
It is just too unfortunate where we have found ourselves. House divided against itself can never stand. In every problem, there is bound to be a solution. There is no problem that cannot be resolved. It is only when you have a selfish agenda, not putting the people first, not putting the interest of our great party, and the country first that we can have this kind of situation. What is happening is because of those cabals. Over the years, they have taken the people for a ride, taking members of PDP for a ride. There is no Villa to go anymore. There is no presidency. We are not in government. What they use to do, they gang up and they go to the Villa. All the chairmen that were removed in the past, the same process used to remove them was going to the Villa, ganging up to say this chairman must go. Once they decide, that’s it. Where only a minority decides the fate of the majority. Now, they have not been able to achieve that because we are not in government.
Look at our past antecedents, because if you don’t know where you are coming from, you will not know where you are going to. I wasn’t there when they went to convince and appeal to Ali Modu Sheriff to come and be the chairman of our great party. Even though the man refused, he said he was not interested. A lot of pressure was put on him. Even though most of us kicked against it, they were able to force him down our throat. We said no problem. There was an election conducted by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, during that election Sheriff got the highest votes, over 67votes and he won. I was listening to our foremost leader, Dr Ali, former chairman of PDP. He said, look you might not like Senator Sheriff but today by law he is national chairman of the party. Why are we fighting? Why are all these bickering going on? Senator Ali Modu Sheriff said “look, let’s give the party back to the people”. When we say” PDP! Power to the people”, lets really believe in that, let the people actually decide who should be their leaders, who should be their President, governor, senator, House of Representatives member, council chairman, councillor etc. That democracy must thrive. It is of the people, by the people and for the people. Not one man deciding the fate of the majority. I was once supporting Makarfi but something happened. I am a lawmaker, not a law breaker. After looking at the Court judgment, I had given them some of my friends who are lawyers to interpret. About three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), they came back with the same position. That EJ, you are a lawmaker.
All of a sudden, the same people who went to appeal to him to come are saying “Ali Must Go”. I wanted them to convince me, at least to give me a superior argument why I should go against Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.
A Reconciliation committee set up and headed by Professor Jerry Gana brought up seven (7) recommendations. In those recommendations, from 1 to 6, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the National Chairman of our great party, agreed he was looking for ways to move the party to the next level. He said that he is not saying that the court should be the one to decide how we should run our party. That we should go home and settle out of court. The following day, Governor Ayo Fayose went haywire and said no. After that, another committee headed by Governor Dickson of Bayelsa came up with recommendations and presented his report to Sheriff and his NWC. After the presentation, Sheriff again accepted the recommendation of the Dickson committee. It will surprise you to know that immediately Senator Sheriff Ali Modu Sheriff accepted, Governor Fayose was on air saying that they will not accept the position of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff. What do they want this man to do? Everything they have brought, he said for the sake of the party he is willing to set aside every issue so that we can come together as one family.
Even to conduct a convention, which is one of the recommendations of the Dickson Committee; he accepted. They are now taking us back. When we take one step forward, they take us ten steps backward. Are they really ready for reconciliation? I was watching my brother, governor Fayose, he is a governor, and I respect him but we must stop impunity, which Senator Ali Modu Sheriff said is the major problem of our country. For me, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is not on trial. He has said lets conduct convention. Now, it came for reconciliation by former President Goodluck Jonathan, we got the invitation. The day we held the reconciliation meeting at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, our leader, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was not in the country. He was called to come and attend the meeting. He had to abandon everything he went abroad to do to return for the meeting because we also were looking for reconciliation. Getting to Shehu Musa Yar’Adua centre, there was no seat reserved for Sheriff as the chairman of the party and I was worried. Since the chairman was not yet around, the acting deputy national chairman, Dr Cairo Ojougbuh went and took a seat and sat down on a seat at the podium waiting for the national chairman. But they were telling him to get down from the podium, besides, when we got to the Yar’Adua Centre, the place was filled with thugs. Sheriff came and there was no seat for him. He had to argue to get a seat. Whether the devil likes it or not, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is the national chairman. When they will not recognize him or allow him to speak as national chairman we decided to stage a walkout. And you hear them saying that if the Supreme Court rules in favour of Senator Sheriff they will not work with him. Then what are we talking about?
Those of you with Sheriff, what will you do if the Supreme Court rules in favour of the National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi ?
I will stay on the side of the law. Whatever the law supports, that is where you will find me. It will be a sin to God and mankind to do otherwise. They have been bragging that if they win, they will run us out of town, they will send me out of Edo. They will recall me. I have heard so many things.
Senator Sheriff has said he is going ahead with the plan to hold a national convention. Is that convention actually feasible with the state of things?
We are in court now. The highest court in the land. We will wait. We will allow the law take its course before we start talking about convention. That would be my position. I am not speaking for the generality of our party. This is my own opinion; however, nobody is an island. A house divided cannot stand. People are suffering in this country. They expect good governance.
If the situation concerning the health of President Muhammadu Buhari lingers, are we likely to see the National Assembly activating the relevant sections of the constitution, especially regarding setting up a medical panel to determine if the President is fit to continue in office?
When we get to the bridge, we will cross it. We are not there yet. Somebody was telling me that we should impeach the President and Vice President. That does not arise. Please. Let’s not heat up the system. I am sad the way, we Nigerians are taking this matter. Anyone can be sick. What we should do as patriots, good citizens of this country, we should pray for our leaders. But unfortunately, those around the president have not managed the situation well.
Let me tell you, at a time I was sick. People were praying for me. Nobody said I should step aside as a member of the House. It is not how long; we can be patient with the President. Are you God? I am not. I don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. I understand Nigerians are suffering. Let’s wait and see. Let’s pray for the President and other leaders of the country. God gives power. He is the ultimate.
