A political outfit, the PDP National Rebirth Group, has described as “embarrassing and appalling” the refusal of the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, to accept his removal from office in good faith.
The group, in a statement issued after its regular meeting at the weekend, condemned the former Borno governor’s actions and attitude, saying they were causing confusion in the party.
President of the group, Comrade Franklyne Edede, said: “Senator Sheriff has disgraced the people of the North-east zone by his uncouth conduct and recalcitrant attitude which is threatening the foundation of the party, upon which he rode to become the national chairman.
“It’s despicable to see Senator Ali Sheriff, a former senator of the Federal Republic, a two-time Governor of Borno state who under normal circumstances, could pass as an elder statesman, misbehaving just because he was removed from office, a position he himself has confirmed severally that he was not even prepared to run for in the first place.”
Reacting to the two recent court judgements of Tuesday, June 28, 2016 and Thursday, June 30, 2016, Edede said the latter ruling by Justice Valentine Ashi, which nullified the amendments to the PDP Constitution, alleged to have been used to ratify Dr. Ahmadu Adamu Muazu in the December 2014 Special National Convention and on whose foundation Senator Sheriff was appointed by NEC, automatically ruled out any claim of him remaining in office.
The group said: “If not because Senator Sheriff and his group want to destroy our party, how can he still claim he is the chairman of the party after the various court judgements. First, he was removed by the National Convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers state. Secondly, the judgement of June 28, 2016, has also removed him. Thirdly, his own suit he instituted against the party to lay claim to the office, even called him ‘busy body’ and the judge threw away the case.
Is Senator Ali Modu Sheriff waiting for the Almighty God Himself to come down and remove him before he will know that PDP members do not want him anymore?”
“It is on record that several national chairmen of our party in the past, either resigned or were removed, but none of them ridiculed the party the way Senator Sheriff is doing now.
Even the two national chairmen from the North East, including Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Muazu, never behaved this way when they were removed. So, what is so special about Ali Modu Sheriff?
“You will recall that in line with the principle of zoning which is enshrined in the PDP Constitution to allow for fair play and inclusiveness in party and national affairs, the party graciously in 2012, zoned the office of the National Chairman to the North-east Zone and Alhaji Bamanga Tukur was elected from Adamawa state at the National Convention to fill that position.
“When it became necessary for him to leave the stage, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur resigned and Alhaji Adamu Muazu from Bauchi state was appointed by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to complete the tenure of Bamanga Tukur. Alhaji Adamu Muazu’s appointment by NEC was subsequently ratified by the Special National Convention in December 2014 which the Court has nullified.
“When Muazu also resigned after the 2015 General Elections, it became necessary for the North-east Zone to nominate someone from the zone to fill the vacant position.
This was how Senator Dr. Ali Modu Sheriff from Borno state was then appointed by the 68th NEC to complete the four- year tenure of the zone. May we remind Ali Modu Sheriff that he never even contested in 2012 nor in 2015. Despite his widely celebrated excess baggage, he was just handpicked from nowhere and imposed on the people of the North-east zone.
“Ordinarily, the tenure of the National Working Committee under Ali Modu Sheriff was supposed to elapse on the 24th of March, 2016, but the 69th National Executive Committee (NEC) in their wisdom extended the tenure by three months to offer them time just sufficient to organise and conduct congresses and National Convention and handover. So, Ali Modu Sheriff’s mandate was to come to an end after the 2016 National Convention of the party.”
