ABUJA, Federal Republic of Nigeria. Against pressure from some leaders of the party opposed to his emergence as the National Chairman for him to step aside, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has formally taken over the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), vowing not to resign.
Addressing a press briefing moments after the official handing over ceremony at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja on Monday, he said Ambassador Wilberforce Juta who is leading the call for his resignation, contested the post of the national chairmanship with him and scored only one vote in an election conducted by the National Executive Committee (NEC).
Juta-led PDP Rescue Group had addressed a press conference in Abuja on Sunday where it called on Sheriff to step aside as according to the group, he was not nominated by the people of Borno State for the post as required by the PDP constitution.
But in his reaction, the former Borno governor said: “I saw the person who was addressing the press conference, Ambassador Wilberforce Juta. He submitted himself to the National Working Committee of this party, aspiring to be a chairman.
“(Hon. Mohammd) 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 conference got one vote and he’s asking me to resign.
“Therefore, 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 to the 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 asked 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 (national chairman).
“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 of this party to conduct a credible, effective congress that will stand the test of time.”
The new party boss who was expected to serve out the tenure of former National Chairman, Dr. Adamu Mu’azu in March or April this year, said the party leadership would determine how long he would remain in office.
But he was confident that he would lead the opposition party till when it would conduct credible congresses and national convention.
He said: “I took over this party today. I am here as a national chairman of this party by the grace of all the 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 reiterated his denial of any association with Boko Haram which he said was after him because he ended their menace within five days during the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration.
He recalled that leaders of the terrorist group were after him because they accused him of preventing the sect from Islamizing Northern Nigeria.
Sheriff promised to put in his best along with other members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) to reposition the PDP and return it to the real owners of the party.
He observed that the party was at its most challenging period having been “undeservedly been pushed into opposition.”
The party boss stressed that he recognized the weight of expectations of the party members to reposition and he has decided to take up the challenge.
Noting that he will leave no stone unturned in the effort to revive the party, he assured that he had come with open mind and called on all aggrieved members to sheath their swords.
He advised all those who claimed they were not consulted over his election to refrain from using the media as he was ready to meet with them to address their concerns.
“All those who feel aggrieved, going to the media is not the best. Come, lets talk together. They are aggrieved because they want the party to succeed,” he noted.
Speaking before handing over to Sheriff, the former acting National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus noted that Sheriff’s assumption of office as the National Chairman of the PDP has sent jitters into the camp of the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) hence they were trying to tag him with the name, Boko Haram.
According to him “There is earthquake in the camp of APC. That is why they have come with blackmail.”
He assured that party decisions would now be reached through consensus as he promised that “Gone are the days that a few elders will sit down in Abuja and decide what happens in the party.”
Meanwhile, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party met on Monday at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja and resolved not to accept Sheriff as the national chairman.
In a short statement made to the press after the meeting, the acting chairman of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, said: “BoT as conscience of the is still strongly of the view that Sheriff is not the right person for PDP chairman post.”
He assured that the board would meet again to work out suitable solution for the leadership crisis.
Credit: Nigerian Tribune
