The PDP Caucus in the National Assembly last Tuesday held a meeting aimed at saving the soul of the party. In the piece, ADEBIYI ADEDAPO interrogates the move by the lawmakers to rescue the party from sinkingLawmakers elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last week commenced a move to re-position the party and put an end to its leadership crisis.PDP members in the House of Representatives on Tuesday initiated the move during a caucus meeting held ahead of the decision of the Court of Appeal on the matter of rightful leadership of the party.Although the notice of the caucus meetings as announced at Tuesdays plenary by Speaker Yakubu Dogara did not refer to any caucus of the party, the meeting was largely attended by members loyal to the Ahmed Markarfi-led faction.The notice signed by Minority Leader of the House Leo Ogor, invited all PDP members, but the few member loyal to the Ali Modu Sheriffs faction ignored the meeting.It was gathered that the lawmakers agreed to commence preparation for a final takeover of the party from Sheriff.Apparently, the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction enjoys an overwhelming support of lawmakers, particularly in the House of Representatives.How many members of the House are loyal to the Sheriffs faction, they are not more than three, so we are in the majority, we are planning for a final takeover of the party, a source hinted.Another PDP lawmaker noted that since Sheriffs camp has expressed readiness to abide by the decision of the Court of Appeal, leadership crisis rocking the party will soon be over.Did you see that the Sheriffs faction have now said that they will abide by the decision of the Court of Appeal, that they will not challenge it, so we are very close to getting a final solution to the leadership crisis, he said.The lawmakers who met behind close doors also discussed the welfare of staffers at the partys national secretariat who had not been paid for several months.The secretariat staff attracted more sympathy from the National Assembly members having shunned the bid by Sheriff to payoff their salary arrears in exchange for loyalty.According to sources privy to the meeting, the same move is expected to be replicated by Senators elected under the platform of the party.The secretariat staff are being owned backlogs salary deductions from February 2016 and housing allowances for 2015, 2016 while payment for 2017 is due for payment by the end of January.A source at the PDP secretariat who confided in LEADERSHIP Sunday said: They are owing this backlogs of deductions and our last housing was the 2015. 2016 is owed and 17 is due by end of January 2017. In February 2016, our salary and emoluments was reduced by 35 per cent that was sustained in salaries till June and CTC inherited that and continue payment till November 2016.It was also gathered that the PDP caretaker committee further reduced the 65 per cent by 50 per cent in November 2016, and and further reduced to 25 per cent in December.So we were paid 50 per cent of 65 per cent, that is if your were collecting N50, 000 as the 65 per cent you now collect N25, 000. For the December 2016 salary, that 50 per cent of 65 per cent was further reduced to 25 per cent . What that means is that the N25, 000 you collected in November is further reduced to N12, 500.The staff, had on Monday shunned an event scheduled to interface with the partys factional chairman, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, on issues in the party.The staff, who met under the auspices of the PDP Staff Welfare Forum said they decided to shun the meeting with Mr. Sheriff because, unlike, the other factional chairman, Ahmed Makarfi, he never called for the reopening of the secretariat complex.The Police have sealed the Wadata Plaza secretariat of the PDP since May 22 last year following a parallel national convention that saw the party divided.The national officers led by Alimodu Sheriff, were sacked and an interim team announced in Port Harcourt on May 21, 2016.The convention appointed former Kaduna Governor, Ahmed Makarfi, as chairman and a former senator, Ben Obi, as National Secretary.Mr. Sheriff, however, insists he remains the national chairman.A statement from the Welfare Committee said Mondays meeting which had about 80 members of staff present unanimously voted to reject the invitation by Senator Sheriff.The Welfare committee stated that they decided to reject the invitation because while the National Caretaker Committee under the leadership of Ahmed Makarfi, spoke in support of the call for the national secretariat of the party to be opened for Party activities, Sheriff in a statement by his spokesman, Hon. Bernard Mikko rejected the call for the reopening of the National Secretariat which was seen by the staff as an affront to the progress and rebuilding process in the PDP.The staff also queried the yardstick for the invitation by Mr. Sheriff, accusing him of not working for the growth and development of the party.The staff accused him of tacitly working against the party, as seen in his activities that reduced the fortune of the PDP in the gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo states.Still, many watchers of the PDP wonder whether its lawmakers can pull the party back from the brink.Recall that shortly after the 2015 election,the newly elected PDP lawmakers, had met in Portharcourt, Rivers State, at a retreat where they recognized they have to play a much more pivotal role in strengthening the party, which was still dazed at the time.While many wondered how they would achieved much of that task in the face of the overbearing influence of the governors, the polity was shocked by how the PDP lawmakers out-maneuvered the APC in the constitution of the leadership of both chambers.Although the high point of that scheme remains the emergence of one of their own, Sen Ike Ekweremadu, as the Deputy Senate President, PDP lawmakers had also occupied strategic committees.By and large they were able to get a strong foothold in the goings-on in the legislature.But ever since, the lawmakers have not being as prominent in resolving the leadership crisis in the party.At the senate, the lawmakers were able to manage the process of electing the minority leader which had raised eye brows, considering that some of the ranking members who had indicated interest had to step down for Sen Godswill Akpabio, the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State and a new comer to the higher chamber.Although, Sen Ekweremadu, had led a reconciliation committee over the current leadership crisis not much as come out of it, just like series of other reconciliation attempts.Still, the case for more involvement of law makers in determining the affairs of the PDP has been a long agitation, albeit demanded in the most muffled way.While PDP held sway at the center, its lawmakers had repeatedly clamored for automatic tickets and more representation at National Executive Council (NEC) meetings.But these calls were resisted by the governors, who having attained emperor-like status in their states, didnt want to contemplate any form of alteration in their control of the partys structure in the states, especially the delegates list.While such clamors are yet to manifest in a post 2015 era, the impact of the lawmakers in salvaging the party would be to the degree that they are given much more influence, some pundits aver. More so, in a post leadership crisis era, while the level of their contributions, on the legislative front, would also help to give them and the party national presence, how they engage in grass root growth of the party would be much more instrumental to the survival of the party.
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