DESPITE opposition from some quarters, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff, yesterday declared that he would not resign his new appointment.
The Board of Trustees of the PDP rose from a meeting in Abuja yesterday night stating that it had rejected Sheriff as national chairman of the party.
Addressing journalists shortly after the meeting, the BoT led by its acting chairman, Senator Walid Jibril, said in a paragraph statement: “The Board of Trustees of the PDP is of the view that Ali Modu Sheriff is not suitable as national chairman of the PDP. We have proposed viable solutions which will be deliberated upon tonight. We are going for another meeting.”
In attendance at the meeting were former Information Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana, erstwhile Senate President Adolphus Wabara, ex- Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantua, former PDP national chairman, Senator Ahmadu Alli, Inna Ciroma, among others.
Sheriff said that he did not know when his tenure as chairman would end. He noted that he would only reveal his agenda when he had been briefed on the status of the party including its finances.
“I will unfold the agenda of this party to everybody as soon as other members of the National Working Committee, particularly the National Treasurer and the National Secretary brief me fully on the status of the party. I will let Nigerians know where we are going and what we intend to do,” he said.
And in Ekiti State, Governor Ayodele Fayose, Sheriff has found a strong ally, with the former saying: “His emergence at this time is the best thing in the present circumstance. Those who are aggrieved should sheathe their sword and deploy their time and resources into fighting the All Progressives Congress (APC) instead of their own party.”
Addressing a press conference after a brief handover where he formally took over the affairs of the party, Sheriff also denied links with the Boko Haram terrorist group.
Answering questions on the inadequacy of time to carry out the task of rebuilding the party, the new PDP boss explained that his tenure was not yet known to him, adding that only PDP leaders would decide on that later.
“I took over this party today. I am here as a national chairman of this party by the grace of all the National Executive Committee (NEC) members of the party. I am here to rebuild the party.
“What time we need to do this job will be determined by the leaders and owners of the party when they sit down collectively to discuss. For me, taking over office today, I cannot tell you when I am leaving. I will only tell you when the party leaders sit down and see what is the immediate time to do this job. If they decide, I am ready for it.”
Sheriff who expressed dismay over calls for his resignation by a former governor of defunct Gongola State, Amb. Wilberforce Juta, stated that having contested the PDP chairmanship election with him and lost, Juta had no moral right to ask for his resignation.
“I saw the person who was reading the press statement, Ambassador Wilberforce Juta. He submitted himself to the National Working Committee of this party, aspiring to be a chairman. Wakil that you saw on the television also submitted himself to the Working Committee to be appointed chairman and votes had been cast.
“The man that was reading the press statement got one vote and he’s asking me to resign. I will not resign.
“The leadership of this party, in their wisdom asked me to lead. If the NEC of this party collectively asks me to leave, I will leave, but not somebody who contested an election and got one vote.
“I think if there is morality, he should not even go on television. In this country, people are allowed to say what they want. You want something, you got into the party, the party has submitted your name. In the midst of everybody, you got one vote and you go outside and ask the chairman to resign. My brother, where is the credibility? Where is the justice? I would have listened to him better if he did not aspire to be one.
“Therefore, I do not plan to resign, I will not resign.
I will reposition this party and take it to election within a time frame decided by the leaders to conduct a credible, effective congress that will stand the test of time.”
On his alleged links with Boko Haram, Sheriff said no authority in this country had ever accused him of having links with the terrorist group. Visibly annoyed over reports linking him with the terrorist group, Sheriff specifically declared that former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, “would not go scot-free” for allegedly creating the impression to the public that he, Sheriff sponsored Boko Haram.
He also declared that he never regretted leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) which he said he played a significant role in forming.
However, Sheriff begged all aggrieved party members to drop their grievances and join him in the task of rebuilding the party.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose said: “It is regrettable that those who abandoned the PDP to its fate when it lost power and did not say a word to defend the party have now found their voices against a decision taken in accordance with the party’s constitution.”
The governor who reiterated his commitment to the party, said: “With my antecedent as someone who has always defended the party, I can’t be linked with any decision that will not be in the best interest of the party. I therefore call on all my admirers and believers in my dogged fight for the revival of our party to support our new chairman, whom I believe has the required capacity to reposition the party.”
He described those linking the new chairman to the Boko Haram insurgents as mischief makers, asking: “Has Ali Modu Sheriff been tried and convicted by any court for sponsoring Boko Haram? Has he been tried for involvement in Boko Haram activities?
“Even APC Senator Ali Ndume is being tried for allegedly making contacts with the Boko Haram sect 73 times and he is still the Senate Leader.
“Also, Ali Modu Sheriff and their ‘Saint Buhari’ are in-laws courtesy of Sheriff’’s son’s marriage to Buhari’s daughter and no one has called the President a Boko Haram sponsor by association. Or are they also saying President Buhari could have allowed his own daughter to marry the son of Ali Modu Sheriff if he was indeed a Boko Haram sponsor?”
While describing Sheriff ’s emergence as constitutional, Fayose said stakeholders like the NWC , governors, senators, House of Representatives members, and Board of Trustees members took part in the processes that produced the new chairman.
He said the party could only be repositioned when decisions of party leaders were respected just as he called on those aggrieved with the emergence of the new chairman to be mindful of the supremacy of the party over and above other interests.
The governor reminded members and supporters of the PDP that “the party is in a peculiar situation and we need people who can stand up against these devourers of our collective heritage. I can say confidently that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is such a person and in the collective interest of our party, we should all rally round him.”
