Former chairman of Benue State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and top contender for the office of Deputy National Secretary in the botched convention of August 17, 2016, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo, has asserted that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was truly behind the crisis rocking the PDP.
Agbo, who was also chairman of Conference of PDP Chairmen, made the assertion in a media chat in Abuja.
According to him, the fact that Ali Modu Sheriff refused all overtures made to him for reconciliation was a clear indication that he was being instigated by the APC to cause commotion within the PDP in a bid to destabilize the party.
“It is not just whether people are saying that APC is having a hand or does not have a hand. We see the hand clean and clear. It is very clear that not only are we seeing the hand, but the hand to the face and we know who those faces are,” he declared, adding that, “The absolute truth is that we ourselves know that some of the people who are running for frontline positions within the PDP are being sponsored by APC members. But the good thing is, not only that the leadership of the PDP is aware of this, the delegates are aware. And if we had held an elective convention, both their pay fathers and themselves would have been totally disappointed because they would have been rejected. This time there’s absolute resolve on the part of both leadership and membership of the party to recreate itself in a way and manner that those we believe are 100% PDP takes leadership.”
Maintaining that he was not worried by the crisis in PDP, Agbo said: “I know that based on the quality of distinguished and eminent Nigerians that brought themselves together ab initio for the formation of the party; those that have garnered experience in the management of both party and men over the last sixteen years; who have stayed and remained within the party, we don’t need more than one year once eventually the leadership is put together at the centre to again mobilize Nigerians to take maximum advantage of the absolute catastrophic failures of the present day administration. And so, if anybody thinks that as they move in and out of court it is going to destabilize us, such person should know that all these court processes definitely like any other thing that has a beginning will also have an end.”
While expressing confidence in the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee whose life span has been extended by one year, the ex-Benue PDP helmsman stated: “I have to at this point commend the effort of the leadership of the party. They ensured that everybody is carried along in the whole process that led to the August 17 convention before it was aborted. I have no single iota of doubt that they will justify the confidence reposed in them with the extension granted them due to the aborted convention. Let me also thank the delegates for their understanding. Notwithstanding the intimidation by the APC government as seen in the action of the police, all the delegates left happily with a greater resolve to stand with the PDP and ensure victory for the party in 2019. I saw greater determination in the delegates and I’m really happy about that.”
