'Now that Sheriff is removed, we'll cooperate,' PDP faction leader says

Former minister and Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Professor Jerry Gana, who led another faction of the party against the ousted chairman,

Gana and other aggrieved party leaders had organized a separate national convention on Saturday, May 21, in Abuja, while another convention was held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where Sheriff was removed and an interim leadership installed.

In an interview with Vanguard, the former minister said the key objectives of the faction, which was to remove Sheriff's leadership, has been achieved.

"We wanted a leadership that is credible, a leadership that will emerge through a constitutional process," he said.

"They realised that some of the congresses were not done properly, they also realised that the processes of zoning were not acceptable and that the process of putting the former chairman was not acceptable and so, a lot of very important decisions have been taken which are in the overall interest of the progress of both our party and believe me, even of the nation.

"The convention has been postponed, there will be a proper convention and in the interim we have both the Board of Trustees and the National Caretaker Committee and I believe that they will work together and we will also cooperate with them to redirect the party, sanitise the party and ensure that we have a strong united and vibrant party. That is what we want."

On whether he would support the interim leadership of the party led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Gana said his faction will work with the new committee but said some of the people who fought for the change should have been part of the interim officers.

"Makarfi was part of us. Where we were (at Abuja Convention ground), we were being consulted on a regular basis by some of the leaders who were in Port-Harcourt. To be fair to them, they were phoning us, through the chairman of the Governors Forum. We were in consultation," he said.

READ:Leadership tussle divides PDP, Gana faction vows to stop Sheriff

Gana expressed optimism that if imposition and impunity is not given a chance, and that if the new National Caretaker Committee works well with the Board of Trustees, the PDP will be strengthened and stronger again.