BREAKING: Thugs attack office of Sheriff-led PDP faction in Ekiti

People suspected to be political thugs on Tuesday attacked the office of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to Ali Modu Sheriff in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.

They vandalised the property and tore the flags erected at the premises, which is the office of a leader of the party, Chief Williams Ajayi at Nova road, Adebayo area in the city.

Speaking to journalists on the incident, the Deputy Chairman of the group, Olasunkanmi Ogunbiyi accused the Gboyega Oguntuase-led faction, allegedly loyal to Governor Ayodele Fayose and Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi as masterminding the attack.

The Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti in a judgement delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo on January 24 this year declared Ajayi the authentic chairman before the Court of Appeal ordered a stay of execution of the ruling.According to Ogunbiyi: “The assailants scaled the fence and destroyed all the flags and shattered the windows of our office. We suspect that Oguntuase’s people are behind this and we need prompt action from the security agencies.”

Reacting to the allegation, the Publicity Secretary of Oguntuwase-led PDP in the state, Jackson Adebayo, said the claim was part of the plan to tarnish the image of the party in the state.

Meanwhile, the party has described the former governor of the state and Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi as a bad loser who is seeking power through the backdoor.

Reacting to a newspaper interview granted by Fayemi, where he described the 2014 election, which he lost as an “unfinished business”, the state chairman of the party, Gboyega Oguntuase in a statement advised the former governor to “bury the thought that he could achieve through the backdoor what the people of Ekiti denied him in a free, fair and credible election.”

“Fayemi and his cohorts went to court after the 2014 election and lost all the way from the tribunal through the Appeal Court to the Supreme Court. He is now boasting that he will cause the Supreme Court to reverse its judgment on the Ekiti election, but he will fail,” Oguntuase said.

Finally, Sheriff, Makarfi agree to work for peace in PDP.

The crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be over soon. This followed the agreement reached by the two factions after a meeting yesterday to halt all forms of hostilities against each other.

The meeting, which was called by the chairman of the party’s reconciliation committee and Governor of Bayelsa State Seriake Dickson, also resolved that the party must focus on to how to form a formidable opposition.

A communique issued at the end of the meeting, which was attended by the Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee and the Ali Modu Sheriff’s group reads: “That all the actors should desist from making derogatory, inflammatory and divisive statements against party officials, stakeholders and members.
“That the party should not dissipate its energy amongst itself but to focus on how to unite and be a formidable opposition, capable of taking over power from the failed All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government.”The statement further stated that all key actors in the on-going peace process should henceforth desist from making public statements attacking each other and statements, or insinuating negative acts that were capable of dragging the party to the mud.

“The PDP has agreed to work together with the National Reconciliation Committee led by Dickson to engender peace and genuine reconciliation,” the statement added. The communiqué was signed by the spokesperson of the national caretaker committee, Dayo Adeyeye and former political adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak.

Both Modu-Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi were absent from the meeting, but some of their loyalists, among them Modu-Sheriff’s deputy, Cairo Ojougbo and the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Walid Jibrin attended.

Jibrin promised to convene a meeting of the trustees soon to consider the report. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has fixed May 4, for the hearing of an objection filed against the Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the PDP.

The Modu-Sheriff’s faction of the party had filed two separate motions at the apex court, challenging the competence of the Makarfi’s appeal against the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt.

But the Makarfi faction, through its counsel, Mr. Kanu Agabi filed a counter-affidavit praying the court to discountenance the other faction’s two motions and allow the main appeal to be heard meritoriously.

 

Source: The Guardian

PDP crisis: Sheriff frustrating peace process – Makarfi

Chairman of the caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi has accused national chairman Ali Modu Sheriff of frustrating the peace process.

Makarfi, who made the accusation in Abuja yesterday while meeting some Northern leaders of the PDP, said Sheriff reneged on a proposal by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He told the gathering that Sheriff refused to abide by an arrangement where both of them would resign their positions. He also blamed the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson for presenting a convention report to Sheriff without consultation.

“When Dickson came to meet me on his committee’s report, I told him, you are one of the governors that met with former President Goodluck Jonathan and he spelt out the proposal of peace plan which he communicated to the National Assembly caucus, communicated to us (caretaker committee) and other organs of the party.

“And I asked him, are you now removing yourself from that? Why didn’t you table what you have before your colleagues? I also asked him whether he had taken pains to read the Port Harcourt Appeal Court judgment and he said no.

“That judgement is based on two premises which we did not accept. The first premise, which we did not accept in our appeal to the Supreme Court, that the tenure of three members of the NWC will expire in august this year and 18 will expire in July 2018.

“If you now propose to hold convention in June, what are you going to achieve? How will the June convention is different from last year’s in Portharcourt and he said he didn’t think about that.

“The proposal on the way forward is to revert to the status quo as pronounced by the court of appeal. This is what I told Dickson, that he should go back to his colleague governors and other organs of the party to clear the issue. As far as we are concerned, the caretaker committee has no position other than what the organs of the party.

“Again, having reverted to the status quo, everybody will now formally resign. If everybody will resign, then the solicitors of the organs of the party will now sit down and look at all the legal issues involved and then draw up an MoU that will serve as settlement of parties. This will be deposited at the Supreme Court as the settlement of the crisis.

“Even if this is not provided in the constitution of the party, INEC is going to accept it and no one is going to rubbish PDP on that.

“In response, I told the former president that the caretaker committee has nothing against his proposal but that it will be presented before the organs and if accepted, the caretaker committee will stand by it.

“Former President Jonathan said he told Sheriff to go and consult and after his reply, he will get back to him. Uptill now he has not gotten back to him. What it means is that perhaps, he did not get positive response from Sheriff.”

Some of those present at the meeting were chairman former minister of police affairs, Adamu Maina Waziri; former minister of information, Prof Jerry gana; Aminu Wali; former PDP youth leader, Abdullahi Maibasira; Sen Saidu Kumo; Sen Aruwa; chairman of former ministers, Kabiru Turaki; former governor of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed; former governor of Adamawa Boni Haruna.

Former governor of Kano State Ibrahim Shekarau; Hon Tukur; Gen. David Jeribewon; former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa; former governor of Niger State, Dr Babangida Aliyu; former deputy national publicity secretary of PDP, Abdullahi Jalo; former deputy governor of Sokoto, Murtahr Shagari; former women minister, Hajiya Inua Ciroma; former governor of Plateau, Sen Jonah Jang; Sen Abubakar Gada; Sen. Solomon Ewuga among others.

Vacate PDP secretariat now, Makarfi faction orders Sheriff

Sacked National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi has asked the National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to vacate the party’s national secretariat immediately.

He said Sheriff, who was declared the authentic national chairman of the PDP by the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, should wait until the Supreme Court makes its own pronouncement on the matter.

The spokesperson for the faction, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, who stated this at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, accused the Police of favouring the former governor of Borno State in the crisis.

Adeyeye, a former minister of state for works, said that Sheriff must leave the secretariat in order to avoid breakdown of law and order.

Makarfi’s PDP accuses Police of taking sides with Sheriff.

The Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the police of taking sides with Ali Modu Sheriff, whom the appeal court declared national chairman of the party.

Dayo Adeyeye, spokesman of the faction, said this at a news conference in Abuja on Monday.

Last Monday, the police stopped the faction from holding a meeting at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.

At the news conference, Adeyeye urged the police not to give Sheriff access to the PDP national secretariat because an appeal had been filed at the supreme court against the judgment of a lower court declaring him chairman.

“Now that the party led by the national caretaker committee has filled appeal against the recent judgment, the status quo ante remains until the determination of the  appeal to the supreme court,” he said.

“In the light of the above, we are calling on the police and the general public and lovers of peace and democracy to ask Senator Sheriff and Co to respect the on-going litigation processes. The police should ensure that Sheriff and Co do not occupy the national secretariat in order to avoid breakdown of law and order. We have noticed that the police have taken sides in this matter perhaps because of directives of the APC but a stitch in time saves nine.”

The PDP faction again blamed the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the crisis in the party.

“We have stated several times that the APC has its hand deep in the PDP crises. There is no doubt that Sheriff’s activities against the PDP are being aided and abated by the APC,” it said.

 

Source: The Cable

PDP Crisis: I did not endorse Sheriff – Jonathan claims

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied endorsing Ali Modu Sheriff as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Since Friday when the appeal court recognised Sheriff as chairman of the opposition party, he has been consulting stakeholders.

He visited Ibrahim Babangida, former military ruler, over the weekend, and was with Jonathan on Monday.

After the meeting, there were reports that Jonathan had endorsed the PDP leader. But in a statement issued on his behalf by Ikechukwu Eze, his media aide, the former president said he only received Sheriff in the interest of peace.

The statement said Jonathan met Ahmed Makarfi, chairman of the other faction of the PDP, and Walid Jibrin, chairman of the party’s board of trustees (BoT), after Sheriff left.

“Jonathan as a former president and foremost leader of the party welcomed Sheriff and some of his supporters to his house, in line with a mediation role he is playing towards unifying and strengthening the PDP,” Eze said in a statement.

“Indeed, it may interest you to know that after meeting with Sheriff, the former president also met with Senator Ahmed Makarfi, leader of the PDP caretaker committee, and the party’s board of trustees chairman, Senator Walid Jubril, later in the evening.

“As a peace-loving leader of the party, the former president’s interest is to help reposition PDP to enable it play a constructive role in the affairs of the nation, in view of the imperative of deepening the nation’s democracy.

“I wish to let those spinning this falsehood know that it just doesn’t add up to fly a contrived banner of endorsement in one breath, and in another, concede that the former president explained his commitment in meeting with different interest groups, towards resolving the differences in the party.”

Eze reproduced the  exact words of Jonathan in the meeting with Sheriff.

He also appreciated the interest shown in covering activities of Jonathan, but urged journalists to avoid misleading the public.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the following are the former president’s exact words during the interview with newsmen, as had accurately been reported by most online and major national newspapers, as well as broadcast organisations: ‘We (PDP) are not factionalised. We are one. We are solving our problems. There are bound to be differences in politics. It is the way we resolve these differences that make us human beings and that is what makes us leaders. I have met with Sheriff. And I have met with others.

“While we appreciate the interest of journalists in the coverage of the activities of the former president, we urge accurate and constructive reporting, as it is a known fact that we cannot truly develop our nation, if journalists continue to twist and fabricate stories with the intent of misinforming the public.”

 

Makarfi’s PDP faction rejects Sheriff, says APC wants one-party state.

The Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has blamed the All Progressives Congress (APC) for its loss of the party’s leadership to Ali Modu Sheriff.

On Friday, the Port Harcourt division of the appeal court declared Ali Modu Sheriff as the authentic national chairman of the PDP.

But the Makarfi faction has rejected the decision of the court,  vowing to challenge it at the supreme court.

In a tweet on Friday, the PDP faction alleged that the judgment of the appeal court showed that the APC was out to create a one-party state.

Buhari will return, Nigeria needs him – Sheriff

The Ali Modu-Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday prayed for good health and return of President Muhammadu Buhari.

At an expanded South-west PDP Committee meeting in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun state, the faction said Nigeria needs Buhari “in order to continue his anti-corruption crusade”.

This is contained in the nine-point communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, read by the faction’s National Vice-Chairman, South-west, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe.

It acknowledged efforts of leaders to reposition the party and get PDP back to winning ways.

The communique said PDP remained the only alternative to the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government.

The communique urged members to prepare for the forthcoming elections in Ekiti and Osun States.

In his remark, Sheriff said he would continue to work for the progress of the party and return it to the grassroots.

Sheriff, who stated that he would not be provoked by the statement of Chairman of the PDP Strategy Review Committee, Prof. Jerry Gana, challenged him to go and contest election in his locality and win before he could talk to him about party administration and management.

In his keynote address, former Deputy Senate President, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu, also the Deputy Chairman of PDP Reconciliation Committee, attributed the crisis rocking the party to lack of internal democracy, imposition of candidates and impunity.

Mantu said: “The national leadership is doing its very best to rebrand and reposition our party positively before the Nigerian public in readiness for 2019.

“In spite of the crack in the family, the leadership is moving steadily in the right direction; encouraging mass participation of members in the activities of the party, thereby giving them sense of belonging.

“All hands must be on deck to ensure total victory in the entire South-west and Nigeria in 2019. We must therefore not allow seeming differences affect our victory at the polls.

“Our detractors had expected the crack in the family to be the beginning of our end. Tell them that the lion was just sleeping in order to conserve more energy for 2019. No matter how much weight an elephant loses, it can never be compared to a cow”.

The meeting was attended by the Sheriff’s deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojuigbo; National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo; Senator Sam Anyanwu (Imo West), Senator Buruji Kashamu (Ogun East) and former FCT Minister, Mohammed Abba Gana.

Others included Senator Hosea Ehinlanwo, Hon. Adesegun Adekoya, Hon. Segun Odebunmi; Hon. Victor Akande, Hon. Bowale Solaja, former Presidential adviser, Ahmed Gulak and the leadership of the party from Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Lagos, Ondo and Ogun States.

Appeal Court Adjourns Case On PDP Leadership Crisis Indefinitely

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on Thursday, adjourned sine-die (indefinitely), hearing on the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. A three-man panel of Justices of the appellate court led by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa suspended hearing on the matter to await the outcome of a related case pending before the Port Harcourt Division of the Court.

 

The decision followed a motion that was filed by the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party. The group had through their counsel, Chief Akin Olujinmi, SAN, urged the appellate court panel to temporarily hands-off the suit filed by the Senator Ahmed Markafi-led faction of the party. They based their request on the fact that the court in Port Harcourt had already heard the matter before it and reserved its judgment.

 

The three pending appeals that were put on hold by the Justice Saulawa-led panel on Thursday were marked CA/A/402/2016; CA/A/402A/2016 and CA/A/402D/M/2016. The appellants are basically challenging a verdict that Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on June 30, which recognised Sheriff as National Chairman of the Party.

 

Justice Abang had in the said judgement, maintained that Sheriff has the authority to take decisions for the party, including briefing of lawyers to represent the interest of the PDP in court. Whereas the Sheriff-led faction was in the three appeals, sued as the 1st and 2nd respondents in the appeal by two chieftains of the party in Ondo and Edo states, Chief Benson Akingboye and Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, respectively. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was cited as the 3rd respondent in the three appeals.

Basketball Legend Shaquille O’Neal Sworn In as a County Sheriff!

Residents in Clayton County, Georgia will think twice before disobeying the law with their new sheriff’s deputy.

Legendary NBA center Shaquille O’Neal was sworn in by the area’s sheriff, Victor Hill, at the weekend as an honorary deputy.

The former LA Lakers and Miami Heat star becomes the tallest deputy in the county’s history, standing at 7ft 1in.

Shaquille O'Neal (right) was sworn in by Clayton County sheriff Victor Hill (left)

Shaquille O’Neal (right) was sworn in by Clayton County sheriff Victor Hill (left)

The four-time NBA champion is one of the most recognizable figures in American sport

The four-time NBA champion is one of the most recognizable figures in American sport

‘Welcome to the crime fighting family, Shaq!’ Hill posted to his Facebook page on Saturday.

O’Neal has also has been designated as an honorary US Deputy Marshal and a reserve police officer with agencies in California, Arizona and Florida, reported Clayton News-Daily.com.

The four-time NBA champion has been a part-time Atlantan for the past 15 years with three properties in the area: a Buckhead condo, a six-acre farm in Gwinnett and a £1.2million home in McDonough.

The 44-year-old is also the owner of one of Atlanta’s much-loved sweet eateries, having bought a downtown Krispy Kreme franchise last October.

O'Neal enjoyed spells at the LA Lakers, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers

O’Neal enjoyed spells at the LA Lakers, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers

Appeal Court adjourns hearing on PDP leadership crisis

The Abuja Division of the Appeal Court on Thursday adjourned its hearing in the ongoing leadership tussle within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

A three member panel of justices led by Ibrahim Salauwa gave the ruling following an application by counsel to former governor Ali Sheriff faction of the party, Akin Olujimi.

Mr. Olujimi had requested an adjournment by the court to allow the Port Harcourt Division of the appellate court conclude on a similar application.

He prayed the court to allow his application to prevent the emergence of contrasting judgements in the matter.

The counsel representing the Ahmed Makarfi faction, Emmanuel Ukala, opposed the application. Therefore, the appellate court sought a few hours adjournment after which it would listen to the arguments of both parties.

About 6 hours later, Mr. Ibrahim said the court would have to adjourn and fix another date to listen to the arguments.

He acknowledged the efforts of parties for their patience in waiting and said the case had been adjourned till December 15.

While the application at the Abuja Division of the appellate court was filed by Ahmed Makarfi faction of the PDP; the one filed at the Port Harcourt Division was by Mr. Sheriff.

Mr. Makarfi seeks to upturn the judgement of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court which on June 29 declared his emergence as leader of the party a product of impunity.

Mr. Sheriff on his part asked the Appeal Court in Port Harcourt to nullify the judgement by a high court in the state, presided over by Ahmed Liman which validated the national convention where Mr. Makarfi was elected.

The Port Harcourt Division of the court gave no specific date for its next hearing during the last sitting on November 24.

Ondo PDP Suspends Members Of Sheriff’s Faction

Three days after the governorship election in Ondo State, the Peoples Democratic Party in the state on Tuesday announced the suspension of 22 members of the party.

This was contained in a letter signed by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Banji Okunomo, a copy of which was made available to out correspondent.

A source informed our correspondent that the affected members were sacked following their roles before and during last Saturday’s governorship election, which was won by the All Progressives Congress; while some of them allegedly belonged to the Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction of the party.

The sanctioned PDP chieftains include Mr. Biyi Poroye, Denis Alonge, Ebenezer Alabi, Olabisi Johnson, Olu Ogunye, Omololu Meroyi, Yemi Ajonibode and Musa Megida.

Others are Isaac Alase, Sola Ebiseni, Ademola Genty, Yemisi Akinyemiju, Dare Emiola, Yemisi Akinmade, Ade Adebawore, Bakita Bello and Adegboruwa Taiwo .

The party also suspended Mr. Omowole Oluwagbehinmi, Gbamila Ogunji, Abiye Ademoyegun, Johnson Alabi and Dara Akinbobola.

In the letter, the party said it carried out the punishment on the affected members “In line with Section 57 of the constitution of our party and the inherent powers conferred on the State Working Committee of the party.”

The party directed the affected members to appear before the disciplinary committee on Monday December 5, 2016 at the party secretariat in Akure, the state capital.

Okunomo however said there was no more division in the party, as the Court of Appeal has ruled that the Ahmed Makarfi faction is the authentic state executive.

Many of the affected members declined to react to the development, while some who craved anonymity said they would respond through the organs of the party at the appropriate time.

Credit: punchng

You Risk Jail Parading Yourself as Chairman – PDP Warns Sheriff

As  the supremacy battle in the PDP lingers on, the Ahmed Markarfi led faction has come out with strong words, denouncing Ali Modu Sheriff as the Chairman of the party and threatening him with jail time.

In a signed statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Dayo Adeyeye, the continuous claim by Sheriff as the chairman of the party is a continuation of plans to sustain mayhem in the party which was evident in the elections of Edo and Ondo states.

The full statement reads: ” Our attention has been drawn to another set of garbage and tissues of lies put together by the discredited loyalists of  Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff in the name of a press statement on Monday, November 28, 2016, wherein, the group tried to sustain it’s illegal claim to the leadership of our Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“The National Caretaker Committee which has been confirmed severally by the Court as the authentic body saddled with the task of providing leadership for the Party pending the hosting of an elective National Convention, would have ignored the ranting of these men of dishonour but leaving them to continue deceiving Nigerians at this time would not be in the interest of democracy.

“First and foremost, we wish to state categorically that in consonance with Judgment of various Courts, which Ali Modu-Sheriff and his team of confused travelers have not bothered to appeal, the former Borno State Governor is not the Chairman of our Party, the PDP. His consistent claim to the Office is a continuation of their plans to sustain mayhem in our Party, but nature and fair justice have taken care of his desperation.

“We wish to draw the attention of all Nigerians to the Judgment delivered by Justice Valentine Ashi of FCT High Court in Apo, Abuja on June 29, 2016, which states clearly that Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff was never and is not the PDP National Chairman; and equally, this Judgment was upheld by the Ruling of Justice Nwamaka Ogbonnaya also of the FCT High Court in Kubwa, Abuja on August 17, 2016.

“It is instructive to note that Senator Modu-Sheriff and his team of circus performers have not deemed it fit to appeal the Court Judgments. It is tripartite in law that a Judgment not appeal is binding on the defendant. The Courts have spoken, and their pronouncements are binding. However, those who wish to spend the rest of their lives behind prison bars may continue to utter heresy against the Court.

“We hope their children would be proud to bear the family names of convicts. It is also morally wrong to accuse the National Caretaker Committee of being the reason why the Party  is facing challenges in terms of unfavourable election results especially in Edo and Ondo States. Everyone knows the real enemies of the PDP. We won’t also forget in a hurry the ignoble role Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim played in scuttling our campaign for the Ondo Election.

“We also know those who pushed him forward for the hatchet job. We are amused that the agents of darkness used by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to cause confusion and frustrate our campaign for the Ondo Election, can accuse the National Caretaker Committee of impunity. However, we simply want them to define what impunity is, using their acts of betrayal as a case study.

“What they are doing is the worst form of impunity, lawlessness, greed and avarice. Their call on the National Caretaker Committee to self disband is uncharitable and unconstitutional. If they have any shame, they are the ones that should quietly disband. But honours can’t be expected from impostors. No matter what they say, we are determined as a political Party to forge ahead and put our house in order even without their inputs.

“The National Caretaker Committee has not called for their expulsion against the claims they are making, the time for that has not come. But the rain of vengeance will not hang forever in the clouds. The National Caretaker Committee wish to appreciate all loyal Party members, urging them to keep the faith as the Appellate Courts will do justice to the various appeals pending before it at the appropriate time; to put an end to the antics of these enemies of progress masquerading as members of our Party”.

Sheriff Sues Borno State Over Boko Haram Comments

Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has sued the Borno state government after being recently accused of having knowledge about Boko Haram.
Addressing newmen on Monday, on Sheriff’s behalf in Abuja, the deputy national chairman for his People Democratic Party-led faction, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh announced that Sheriff has sued the Borno State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, ?Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan?.
He said in Suit No. FCT/HC/CU/2494/2016, Barrister Lawan and three other persons are the defendants.
?”It is on record that when Sheriff was Governor of Borno State, he suppressed and completely routed the Boko Haram like Buhari did in 1993. ?Boko Haram Killed 5 members of his family in the process of his fight against them.
“But when the current Governor of Borno State, Shetima took over office Boko Haram became emboldened, virulent and malignant.
“Note also that Shetima became Governor because Boko Haram killed the man who was to be Governor. His death paved way for the emergence of Shetima who willingly and deliberately encouraged Boko Haram,” he said.
Credit: dailytrust

Makarfi’s group to dump PDP, Sheriff for new party.

As the leadership crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) continues to fester, indicators have emerged in the direction that suggest that the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led leadership is planning to abandon the party for Sen Ali Modu Sheriff and his allies for a new party.

It was gathered that the option of leaving PDP for Sheriff is one of the cards on the table for the Makarfi group following the inability of both factions to reconcile.

It was also learnt that the group is leveraging on the continued support it still enjoys from all the major organs of the party to make the exodus that would leave Sheriff with just an empty shell of the party.

However, the deputy national chairman to Sheriff, Cairo Ojougboh, said that the Makarfi group is free to go if they want. Ojougboh who noted that they have been hearing of such moves by Makarfi camp, added that if they exit it would allow for the rebuilding of the party which has been ravaged by acts of impunity.

The leadership crisis rocking the PDP has culminated in the legal dispute over the governorship candidate of the PDP in Ondo State, a scenario which threatens the chances of the party retaining the state, which it currently governs.

Series of reconciliation attempts have failed as both factions, despite an agreement of its leaders, Makarfi and Sheriff, to resolve their differences and forge a common front.

A PDP source in Makarfi’s camp said admitted that they in Makarfi camp are getting weary of the antics of Sheriff, he added that it was becoming apparent by the day that a reconciliation between both camps won’t happen in the nearest future.

The party source noted that just like in the Edo governorship election, the events surrounding the Ondo governorship election is clear indication that the Sheriff camp won’t back down until they decimate the PDP.

“I can tell you that the option of leaving the party for Sheriff and his camp has come up in some party circles. It has been muted but not aggressively adopted yet. We are still looking at it. We cannot continue to be held down by few disgruntled elements who are being used by the party in power to undermine us ahead of 2019,” the source said.

Another source said “For some of our party members, the PDP brand is too big to be left to Sheriff. But reality is also setting in by the day that Sheriff and his loyalists are not ready for genuine reconciliation. You can see that they keep shifting the bar at every turn. So the idea of leaving the party for them and forming our own will gain more converts, especially now that some people are trying to form a new party and the APC is having serious problems. But we will have to deliberate on it very well.

Attempts to get the party’s spokesman, Dayo Adeyeye, to react to the issue was not possible as he didn’t pick calls placed to him nor respond to text message sent to him. But Ojougboh, said that the Makarfi group are free to go if they want to do so, stressing that it would afford them the opportunity to rebuild the party.

He said “It is free entry and free exit. If they say they want to leave let them leave so that we can rebuild the party. The interesting thing is that some of them want to go but some of the governors are insisting they will stay back that is what is happening now. I don’t know why governors Ayo Fayose of Ekiti and Nyesom Wike of Rivers want to kill PDP.”

He added “The entire grassroots across the country have said they don’t want to leave the party and that they want to remain in the party under Sheriff. We went to former Vice President Alex Ekwueme and he told us that until the people causing impunity leave the party he will not have anything to do with the party.”

Meanwhile, with six days to the Ondo State governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected calls by the Makarfi PDP-led for the postponement of the polls because of a pending legal dispute surrounding the governorship candidate of the party.

The Sen Ahmed Makarfi-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the Ondo State governorship election pending the determination of the suit before the Supreme Court.

The party justified its call for postponement of the polls against the backdrop that INEC is a party to the suit before the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, adding that the commission is well aware of the steps taken by certain parties to the suit to frustrate the course of justice.

The party in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, further claimed that the recent invasion of the homes of justices of the Supreme Court, and the arrests and harassment of several judges by men of the Directorate of State Services, are compelling judges to refrain from furthering the course of justice by unsubstantiated allegations of corruption against them.

The party also stated that several mischievous actions by Messrs Biyi Poroye, Jimoh Ibrahim and their legal team led by Mr. Ben Nwofor (SAN), including unsubstantiated allegations of corruption and disregard for the justices of the Court of Appeal to disruption of court proceedings and flagrant abuse of Court processes has frustrated the case.

The Court of Appeal Panel led by Justice Ibrahim Salauwa had on Friday adjourned sine die over appeals by Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) against a judgment given by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Justice Ibrahim Salauwa had stated that the decision to adjourn was taken in the face of a petition written against the panel to the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN) and chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC) alleging acts of corruption, bias and breach of oaths of office amongst others.

Furthermore, the respondents had filed a motion at the Supreme Court in which the justices of Court of Appeal Panel were named as co-respondents in their personal capacities. But Makarfi’s PDP, in its statement yesterday said “The indefinite adjournment is a consequence of the latest of several mischievous actions taken by Messrs Biyi Poroye, Jimoh Ibrahim and their legal team led by Mr. Ben Nwofor (SAN).

“These actions, ranging from unsubstantiated allegations of corruption to outright disrespect and disregard for the Justices of the Court of Appeal to disruption of Court proceedings and flagrant abuse of Court processes, are all designed to achieve one aim – stall proceedings and ensure that the legitimate candidate of the party is prevented from contesting the November 26th, 2016 gubernatorial election in Ondo State.

“This outright bullying and intimidation of justices of the Court of Appeal is enabled by the recent invasion of the homes of Justices of the Supreme Court, and the arrests and harassment of several judges by men of the Directorate of State Services. These actions are achieving the desired effect as judges are now compelled to refrain from furthering the course of justice by unsubstantiated allegations of corruption. We are aware that this is only a part of a much bigger plan to use all available resources of state to prevent the legitimate candidate of the party from running for and winning the Ondo State Gubernatorial Election.

“We are aware that this is part of the plan to use the judicial process, security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the election in favour of the ruling party (APC) before the election day. We call on all well meaning Nigerians to urge the All Progressives Congress (APC) led federal government to desist from the use of organs of the Nigerian State as a tool with which to subvert the will of the Nigerian people. At this point, we must urge all Nigerians to hold the Federal Government, INEC, APC and the Jimoh Ibrahim group for any consequences of the dangerous games that they have chosen to play with the Nigerian people.

“The judiciary is seen as the last hope of the common man. When the freedom and independence of the judiciary to further the course of justice is tampered with, people often resort to self help. The current situation must not be allowed to deteriorate to that point. We call on INEC to postpone the election pending the determination of the suit before the Supreme Court. We make this call against the backdrop of the fact that INEC is a party to the suit before the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court and is well aware of the steps taken by certain parties to the suit to frustrate the course of justice.

“We also make this call against the backdrop of the fact that INEC postponed the Edo State Gubernatorial Election and recently postponed the Rivers rerun elections without any cogent or visible reason. We urge the justices of the Supreme Court to stand fast in the face of this existential threat to the independence of the judiciary and democracy itself. We urge the justices of the Supreme Court to remember the maxim “Justice delayed is justice denied” while determining the issues before it.

“We use this opportunity to ask our teeming members and supporters in Ondo State and across the country to remain calm. We believe that there are men and women of integrity in the judiciary who will ensure that this act of injustice does not stand.”

INEC’s director on Voter Education and Publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, said “The circumstances surrounding the postponement of the Edo Election was quite clear. It was because the institutions saddled with security said they could not guarantee security at that time not just in Edo but across the country. That scenario has not arisen at this time. We are going ahead with preparation for the election. The basis for postponement of elections are clearly spelt out in the electoral act. We cannot postpone an election because of internal conflicts of a party. Moreover, we are aware that other parties too like AD and APC have legal issues too. For now we are going ahead with preparation for the Ondo election.”

Similarly, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has kicked against the call for the postponement of the governorship poll. In a statement in Abuja yesterday, Ojougboh declared that such a call by the “so called National Caretaker Committee of the party is “malicious, shortsightedness, offensive and irresponsible”

The Sheriff faction urged INEC, the judiciary and the members of the public in general to discontinuance the call for postponement as contained in the statement issued by PDP’s national publicity secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye.

Sheriff declared that as a matter of fact the party under his leadership was fully ready for the Saturday’s poll in Ondo State and was confident of the party’s candidate, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim who has been busy campaigning in all the nooks and crannies of the state, winning the election

According to him,”our attention has been brought to the malicious, shortsightedness, offensive and irresponsible statement issued by the illegal National Caretaker Committee as represented by Dayo Adeyeye. The Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, entire judiciary and indeed the members of the public in general should discontinuance the statement on the Ondo state poll completely. We also want to draw the attention of the public to the evil intention and plans of the illegal Caretaker Committee not only to kill the PDP but also to bury it as they have announced to the whole nation that by January next year they would been in a new party, what else are they saying here again? We will not allow them to kill the PDP.

“We hereby state categorically that PDP is beyond destruction, we are calling on them to leave PDP alone and allow us to face the task of rebuilding the party. We are reinstating here again and again that we are ready for the Ondo poll, come November 26th, there is no cogent reason for INEC to do otherwise.”

Meanwhile, PDP staff members at the national headquarters, Abuja, who are loyal to Makarfi’s faction yesterday decried the incessant petition and blackmailing of the Nigerian judiciary by Sheriff in an attempt to delay prompt dispensation of justice to resolve the current leadership crisis in the PDP.

The staff under the auspices of “Staff Welfare Forum” in a press statement on yesterday, said, “The latest attempt by the Senator Ali Modu Sherriff warring group speaks volume of who is actually working in cohorts with the ruling party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) to destabilize the PDP and create a one party state in the country.”

A statement signed by the chairman Ngozi Nzeh, further said, “We have been following all the events and issues surrounding our great party, the PDP after the humbling outing in the 2015 General Elections and the subsequent leadership crisis following the May 21, 2016 National Convention of the party in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. It is sad to say the least how some of our party leaders are working tirelessly with a view to decapitate and destroy the PDP. This is not acceptable and must stop immediately.”

The national secretariat staff of the party declared that they are all in support of the resolution of the May 21, 2016 National Convention of the party in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, establishing the National Caretaker Committee, headed by Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, saying that any member of the party no matter how highly placed working against the convention resolution must tread softly or face the party’s disciplinary committee which has the power to invoke the extant rules and take necessary actions against such erring members.

“The former national chairman of our party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was only appointed by the 68th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party to complete the tenure of the North East which began with Dr. Bamanga Tukur in 2012 and ended in March, 2016. Senator Sheriff was even given additional 3 months because his appointment came towards the end of the four years tenure of the North East. So, the claim by Senator Sheriff to remain as chairman after the expiration of the tenure of the 2012 Working Committee is anti-party and he and all his cohorts should be treated as enemies of the party.”

The staff declared their unflinching loyalty and total support to the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee saying that the committee is the only authentic product of the National Convention of the PDP which is the highest decision making organ of the party in accordance with the constitution of the party (2012 as amended) in Part X, Section (2), which says…”The National Convention shall be the supreme and controlling authority of the party within the limits prescribed in this constitution and it shall be the principal representatives, policy making and administering body of the party.

“We are therefore perplexed, astonished, amazed, startled and wonder how Senator Sheriff and co, stood the constitution of the party on its head, maintaining that he remains the chairman of the party after the convention of May 21st, 2016. Any judgment he parades in his favour after May 21st, 2016 is nothing but a ‘black-market’ judgment procured through the windows of the court. We are also wondering how Senator Sheriff could seat down as an individual and appoint deputy national chairman, national secretary , national auditor and converting some former deputy officers of the party to substantial officers and still cry impunity when he is the one actually impugning the PDP with reckless abandon without recourse to the party’s constitution.”

The PDP staff members, therefore called on the chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC), Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN) and the entire Nigerian judiciary as the third estate of the realm to live up to its responsibility to save Nigeria’s democracy and treat the PDP leadership matter before them with utmost urgency and dedication that it requires, especially to enable enough time for the PDP to campaign with other political parties in the election and participate actively in the Saturday, November 26, 2016 gubernatorial election in Ondo State saying…”Justice delayed is justice denied.”

PDP committed to retaking power in 2019 – Makarfi

The Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has said that the party is committed to settling all its internal crises to make it strong enough to retake power in 2019.

The former Kaduna State governor, however, decried the tactics of the PDP factional leader, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, to frustrate the peace and reconciliation efforts in the party.

Makarfi, who spoke in Kaduna, said in a few weeks from now, people would begin to see a lot of activities, “because nobody is going to pin us down and stagnate the party. I am assuring you that nobody will hold PDP down and make it impotent.”

He said 99 per cent of the members of the party had resolved to put the crisis that has rocked the party behind them and work together to rescue the country from its economic recession.

He said Sheriff had allegedly frustrated the reconciliation and peace moves through his actions and positions. “I reminded him that I don’t represent myself and as such I don’t have anything personal to negotiate.”

He added: “Whatever I can take back to the governors, our National Assembly members, Board of Trustees (BoT) and the other parties must be something which makes sense to them and which will be acceptable to them. I cannot sit down alone with him and negotiate what I know will not be generally acceptable to the party that I represent.

“It is not about me. Reducing these issues to me is being myopic. I represent the organs of the party. Yes, we want peace but we want an everlasting peace and not a temporary or smokescreen peace that would later create more problems than we have now.

“The mandate that I had from BoT, the governors, National Assembly caucus and states’ chapter chairmen was that we set up a committee of 15 each to sit down and discuss on the basis of the initial agreement we reached. This peace process can progress if he (Sheriff) allows this committee to begin sitting and talk.

“What the outcome may be, I am not in a position to say. But, at least we would have created a forum for talking to take place. And for me, anything that comes out of that, I will accept and implement. I have nothing personal. And what I am saying is that to personalise it between myself and Sheriff is purely to miss the point, because on his side, it is also beyond him.”

SABOTAGE: Ali Modu Sheriff is working for APC victory – Makarfi

Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has accused factional leader of the party, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff, of working for the All Progressives Congress, APC, to win the forthcoming governorship election by supporting Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, instead of the declared winner of the primary, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, SAN.

Makarfi, who spoke with journalists in Kaduna, also, accused Sheriff of breaching a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, the two camps reached to break the impasse that had made the former ruling party divided along Makarfi and Sheriff camps. Both are senators and former governors.

He said: “Most members and supporters of our great party believe that Senator Sheriff is working for the smooth victory of the APC. That is why he is supporting Ibrahim Jimoh, who is not popular in the state. The APC is ready to do anything to win Ondo, and our party will not be surprised to see such a scheme being hatched.

“We gave INEC relevant notices as stipulated by law. They observed our primaries and they took our nomination. It was reported that the other side (Sheriff’s faction) did primaries at midnight in Ibadan. It was not covered by INEC or any authority for that matter. So, if a court of law gives INEC some orders contrary to our well organised primary election that produced Jegede, it is unfortunate. No such court of law, in the first instance, should give such an order.

“They are ignoring all the other laws relating to regulations and how candidates should emerge. Be that as it may, it has been our principle not to personalize issues because our judicial system provides for appeal process and we have appealed. And we have absolute confidence that the appellate court should be able, before the election date, to determine the legitimate candidate of the PDP. We are still confident that Jegede, the properly nominated candidate by our party men and women from Ondo State will be the name to stand for the election as a PDP candidate for Ondo.”

On the MoU, he said: “What we agreed was that the other side (Sheriff’s faction) will join the caretaker committee (Makarfi’s committee). And that was the basic agreement that was reached. We should set up an equal number of party men and women that would sit down and look at the modality for integrating the two sides into a new caretaker committee and also draw the modality for the withdrawal of all court cases or consensual settlement of the cases.

“We agreed that in withdrawing all cases, let it be something that we all consent to so as to prevent future litigation. The committee was to be for 12 from both sides, later it was Ali Modu Sheriff himself who thought that we should expand it to 14 each because his thought was that some members of the caretaker committee ought to have been members of the new committee because they know where we are and they can add to the new committee in making input. From his own committee members, he will also bring two to also join the other people. We said that it was a good idea.

“Later, I was the one that sent a message that we needed to expand it to 15 because instead of two governors we wanted to include three governors in order to carry everybody along. So, that was how we hit the figure 15 on each side.’ And the issue now became who will chair that committee and the term of reference. On who to chair the committee there were names that were mentioned.

“In my opinion, I thought of the person who was able to convene us without dispute should be able to chair the committee. In suggesting any other name you don’t know how it would be received by other people.

“Modu Sherrif suggested former President Goodluck Jonathan. And I said he had wanted to do similar thing before and he was advised against it and that he shouldn’t be dragged into it, more so, we don’t know how it will end up. If it ends up well, fine and well. Supposing it doesn’t end up well, we would have succeeded in bringing down his stature as PDP immediate past President. It will mean that he is involved in something which later failed. It wasn’t wise to get him involved in such issues, we reasoned together. We actually felt that it will be better that he play an advisory role and not a central role. And so, we didn’t really decide on who to take the position, it was opened for discussion. But, the key issue where we had problem was the issue of terms of reference.”

Man Begins Trekking from Lagos to Abuja To Support Sheriff’s PDP

A trekker, Muhammed Isa, 32, has once again embarked on a walk from Lagos to Abuja in solidarity with the Ali-Modu Sheriff’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction.

Isa, who started the walk from Berger footbridge along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, told newsmen before departing at about 9.12 a.m. that youths of the party support Sheriff as the Chairman.

“I am on solidarity trek from Lagos to Abuja to show my support and the support of youths to Sheriff as the authentic national Chairman of PDP,’’ he said.

The internal leadership squabbles had factionalised PDP with Alhaji Ahmed Markafi leading the other.

Isa, a graduate of Psychology, claimed that the youth felt that Sheriff was the best person to manage the affairs of the party.

“I want to make something clear, Ali-Modu Sheriff is someone who is honest and listens to grassroots politicians; he has been working tirelessly to ensure that PDP regains its lost glory.trekking “This is the type of person we need as a leader to move the party forward,’’ he said.

The indigene of Borno said he hoped to finish the trek within 23 days. “I have already planned my journey, I will be trekking from morning to evening, wherever dusk meets me, I look for an accommodation there. “After morning prayers, I will resume trekking,’’ he said.

Asked about the security measures he has in place, Isa said he had none but believed God was with him. “I believe with Allah on my side, no evil will befall me because I am not doing something that is bad or injurious to the country,’’ he said.

NAN reports that Isa also trekked when former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, conceded defeat on March 28, 2015 President Muhammadu Buhari.

Then, he trekked from the same Berger area of Lagos to Abuja with the reason that Jonathan made a great sacrifice for the unity of the country. “The fact that I am a Muslim does not mean that I should not celebrate Jonathan for the sacrifice he made for this country by accepting defeat.’’

Isa, who expressed optimism that he would meet the President and present him an award then, however, said that “if I did not see him, I don’t care. “If I die on the road, I still believe that I die for what is right,’’ he said during the trek that began on May 6.

 

Man Begins Trekking From Lagos To Abuja To Support Sheriff

A trekker, Muhammed Isa, 32, has once again embarked on a walk from Lagos to Abuja in solidarity with the Ali-Modu Sheriff’s Peoples Democratic Party faction.

Isa, who started the walk from Berger footbridge along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, told newsmen before departing at about 9.12 a.m. that youths of the party support Sheriff as the Chairman.

“I am on solidarity trek from Lagos to Abuja to show my support and the support of youths to Sheriff as the authentic national Chairman of PDP,’’ he said.

The  internal leadership squabbles had factionalised PDP with Alhaji Ahmed Markafi leading the other.

Isa, a graduate of Psychology, claimed that the youth felt that Sheriff was the best person to manage the affairs of the party.

“I want to make something clear, Ali-Modu Sheriff is someone who is honest and listens to grassroots politicians; he has been working tirelessly to ensure that PDP regains its lost glory.

“This is the type of person we need as a leader to move the party forward,’’ he said.

The indigene of Borno said he hoped to finish the trek within 23 days.

“I have already planned my journey, I will be trekking from morning to evening, wherever dusk meets me, I look for an accommodation there.

“After morning prayers, I will resume trekking,’’ he said.

Asked about the security measures he has in place, Isa said he had none but believed God was with him.

“I believe with Allah on my side, no evil will befall me because I am not doing something that is bad or injurious to the country,’’ he said.

Isa also trekked when former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, conceded defeat on March 28, 2015 President Muhammadu Buhari.

Then, he trekked from the same Berger area of Lagos to Abuja with the reason that Jonathan made a great sacrifice for the unity of the country.

“The fact that I am a Muslim does not mean that I should not celebrate Jonathan for the sacrifice he made for this country by accepting defeat.’’

Isa, who expressed optimism that he would meet the President and present him an award then, however, said that “if I did not see him, I don’t care.

“If I die on the road, I still believe that I die for what is right,’’ he said during the trek that began on May 6.

Credit: NAN

Edo guber: Sheriff Not in Support of PDP’s Rejection of Result

Disputed National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, said he did not support Thursday’s rejection of the yet-to-be-declared result of Wednesday’s governorship election in Edo.

He said that the rejection of the result ahead of its declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was pre-emptive.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PDP in Edo, at a news conference in Benin, announced its rejection of the result of the governorship poll.

Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Dan Orbih, who addressed the media, alleged that the outcome of the exercise had been pre-determined by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, at the time of the news conference, collation of results of the election was ongoing at INEC secretariat in Benin.

Speaking on behalf of Sheriff, Deputy National Chairman of his faction of the party, Dr Cairo Ojougboh, said, “we will await the final announcement of the result, consult widely before making our decision public”.

He said the national leadership was concerned about issues arising from the election, and called for restraint from members and supporters.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Dayo Adeyeye, had in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday warned that the party would reject the result of the government poll if the antics of APC continued.

He accused the Edo Government of sponsoring massive irregularities in the election.

The opposition party had earlier warned INEC that it would not accept any result different from what was announced at the various polling units in the state.

Sheriff, Makarfi Meet, Vow To End PDP Crises

Factional leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senators Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi, met in Abuja on Tuesday and declared their intention to end the perennial crises in the party.

The meeting, which was held at an undisclosed venue in Abuja, was said to have been attended by some members from the two factions.

At the end of the meeting, representatives of each faction jointly addressed a press conference where they said their leaders were working together to reposition the party.

While the Secretary of the National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ben Obi represented Makarfi, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, represented Sheriff at the briefing.

The short briefing was held at a neutral venue away from each faction’s offices.

In the joint statement, which was read by Ojougboh and corroborated by Obi, the two leaders said that their meeting was without prejudice to all outstanding matters in court.

The statement said, “This is without prejudice to all outstanding matters in court. At a meeting held this morning between the two of us, a holistic review of the state of affairs of our great party, PDP, was deliberated upon.

“In reviewing the crisis that has engulfed our party since the loss of the 2015 general elections after 15 years of uninterrupted leadership at the centre, it became obvious to both of us as principal actors that it is time to heal the wounds and bring about a united, focused and constructive opposition party that can bring sanity to our democratic process.”

Read More:

http://punchng.com/pdp-sheriff-makarfi-met-vow-end-crises/

Sheriff In Closed-door Meeting With Obasanjo

A factional national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ali Modu Sheriff, is holding a closed-door meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in his Abeokuta Presidential Hilltop residence this morning.

Sheriff arrived at the former president’s residence at 11.04am in a convoy of four Sport Utility vehicles.

He rode in a Mercedez Benz AMG with the number plate AAA 673 BL.

Read More:

http://punchng.com/breaking-sheriff-closed-door-meeting-obasanjo/

PDP Crisis: Sheriff Faction Rejects Walid Jibrin As BoT Chairman

The Ali Sheriff faction of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has rejected Walid Jibrin as chairman of the Board of Trustees, BoT, of the party, saying his tenure had elapsed.

Mr. Jibrin had on Monday chaired a meeting of the BoT in Abuja in which a vote of confidence was passed on the Ahmed Makarfi faction Caretaker Committee.

The meeting also directed the committee to organise a fresh national convention in Abuja.

But the Sheriff faction’s Deputy National Chairman, Cairo Ojuogboh, said on Wednesday in Abuja “for the avoidance of doubt, the functions of the BoT is well articulated in the Constitution of the party and Section 32 (5g) states that it will “offers advice on matters.”

He also said the BoT has no power in the Constitution of the party to issue executive orders on the party’s matter.

” With particular reference to Section 32 (2c), it states that “the Chairman and Secretary of BoT shall serve a term of five years and no more,” he said. “The term of Sen. Walid Jubril therefore, has expired.”

Mr. Ojougnoh also said although the faction appreciated the “good job” that the reconciliation committee headed by Bayelsa state governor, Seriake Dickson, and former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, was doing, that it was not comfortable with the proposal of the committee that Messrs. Sheriff and Makarfi co-chair a National Executive Committee, NEC, where a unity convention will be discussed on and agreed upon.

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http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/209647-pdp-crisis-sheriff-faction-rejects-walid-jibrin-bot-chairman.html

Ondo Elections: Why We Held Primary Election In Ibadan – Sheriff

Senator Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has explained that the basis for taking its primary election to Ibadan, Oyo State, was to prevent crisis in Ondo State.

 

The faction had earlier announced the conduct of the primary election at its secretariat on Oyemekun Street, Akure but later changed the venue to Ibadan where it was eventually held on Monday.

 

The Director of Media and Publicity of the faction, Mr Yemi Akintomidesaid the change of venue became imperative to avoid political crisis in the state.

 

He added that the change in the venue was also to avoid any legal action which may be taken by the Ahmed Makarfi faction of the party which is led by Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

Earlier, the Ali Modu Sheriff faction led by Mr Jimoh Ibrahim had shifted its primary election following an order of an Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure.

 

The factional chairman of the party, Prince Biyi Poroye had said during a Press Conference that the faction would hold itsprimary poll either in Abuja or Ibadan, Oyo State.

 

Eventually, at the end of the primary poll, Mr Ibrahim defeated Hon. Sola Ebiseni and Prince Bamiduro Dada.

 

It would be recalled that the former Commissioner for Justice andAttorney General of the State, Mr Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) had emerged the candidate of the PDP at a primary election supervised byofficials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Borno Insists Sheriff Played Role In Boko Haram Crisis

Borno state Attoney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Kaka Shehu yesterday gave forty points on how a former governor of the state, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, aided and abetted the Boko Haram insurgency.
Barrister Shehu had last week at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State said authorities should scrutinize the role played by Sheriff in the crisis, while he was governor.

 But Sheriff, in statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Inuwa Bwala, asked for immediate retraction and apology from Barr. Kaka Shehu, saying  there was never a commission of enquiry, instituted by the Borno State government or the federal government, which found Sheriff culpable, neither has there ever been a security report that indicted him.
However, Shehu yesterday insisted that Sheriff remained  a suspect in the matter because after winning the gubernatorial election in 2013,   he established a ministry of religious affairs and appointed Buji Foi as commissioner.
Foi was the student and strong financier of the then leader of the Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf.
The commissioner wondered how Yusuf, who was captured alive by soldiers, was later killed in police custody, after he had met with Sheriff, saying “the move was probably meant to conceal information that might be revealed by the late Boko Haram leader.”
Credit: dailytrust

PDP Leaders Move To Begin Peace Talks With Sheriff

In the aftermath of the botched convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Port Harcourt, leaders of the party have again initiated moves to reconcile with its former chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, who has continued to lay claims to the leadership of the party, despite court ruling declaring him a usurper.

It was gathered in Abuja, yesterday, that two governors of the party and the chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, have met with Senator Sheriff after the convention to bring him on board in a one united party.

A former member of the House of Representatives and staunch supporter of Senator Sheriff, who craved anonymity, said that at separate meetings with the governors and the Board of Trustees chairman, Senator Sheriff reiterated his demands which, among others, include the dissolution of the Makarfi-led caretaker committee and the composition of a new committee made up of his nominees and others to conduct a fresh convention for the party.

The member said: “The governors came begging and Senator Sheriff reiterated his earlier demands. Having come this far in trying to salvage the party, we cannot afford to hand over the party to the governors so that they can continue with their impunity.

“What happened at the so-called convention in Port Harcourt has vindicated Sheriff’s position that the governors have not learned anything from the results of the 2015 election.

“Sheriff is out to salvage the party and return it to its owners who are the masses. Nigerians should commend Sheriff for standing up to the shenanigans of the governors.”

Credit:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/pdp-leaders-move-begin-peace-talks-sheriff/

Sheriff Denies Sponsoring Boko Haram

The former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff has dismissed the allegation that he is the sponsor of Boko Haram terrorist organisation as “rubbish” saying that he is one of the biggest victims of the organization.

Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Borno state, Hon Kaka Shehu Lawan accused Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff of being responsible for the growth of the dreaded Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram, saying he should be arrested and prosecuted.

He spoke on Tuesday at one of the sessions at the ongoing annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Port Harcourt, adding that Sheriff’s over his alleged role in the emergence of Boko Haram will assuage the feelings of millions that have been dislocated by the terrorist actions of the dreaded Islamic group in one way or the other.

But in an exclusive interview, Spokesman of Sheriff, Inuwa Bwala said rather than being the sponsor of the group, Senator Sheriff is a victim of the sect having list three of his brothers to the terrorist group. According to Bwala, Senator Sheriff has instructed his lawyers to take appropriate measures against the Attorney General for the unfounded allegations.

He said officials of the present Borno state government are “more likely people to be suspected given the fact that at the time he left government, no public official has been accused of being linked to the sect”

“We need to state without any fear of contradiction that the the Attorney General is both mischievous and being economical with the truth. He is trying to cover up the fact that the agents of Borno Government are more likely to be sponsors of the Boko Haram Sect. Sheriff is more vulnerable to Boko haram because he has his three brothers killed by the sect.”

Inuwa Bwala said it is illogical for somebody who had lost three of his brothers to the sect to be their sponsor.

Read More:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/ali-modu-sheriff/

PDP NEC Meets, May Postpone Convention

Members of the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party are meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State to consider the postponement of the party’s convention for another 90 days.

Chairman of the National Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Rivers State, Nysome Wike, is presiding over the meeting which is taking place inside the Government House.

The NEC comprises members of  the Board of Trustees, members of the National  Caretaker Committee, National Assembly Members and Governors.

It also consists of some national and former national officers of the party.

The meeting was a follow up to the inability of the party to hold its planned national convention slated for Port Harcourt, Rivers State today.

It was gathered that the meeting may consider expanding the life span of the caretaker committee while the party continues negotiation with the factional National Chairman of the party, Sen.  Ali Modu Sheriff.

Details soon.

 

http://punchng.com/6-men-hanged-taliban-afghanistan/

Police Intercepts PDP Convention

The Nigerian Police has cordoned off the venue of the planned National Convention of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The action by the security agent follows the ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday barring the PDP from holding the convention.

Justice Okong Abang ruling in a motion filed by a factional chairman of the party, Ali-Modu Sheriff also restrained the Inspector General of Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from supervising or monitoring the planned convention pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Before the ruling by the Abuja court, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had given a clear call for the convention to go ahead.

Ruling on a motion filed by the convention planning committee, Justice Ibrahim Walifa stated that the party’s National Convention Planning Committee was duly constituted and that the convention stands valid.

http://www.channelstv.com/2016/08/17/police-intercepts-pdp-convention/

Federal High Court Stops PDP National Convention Slated For Wednesday

ustice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja has asked the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to suspend its National Convention fixed for Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Abang gave the order late Monday afternoon while hearing the suit filed to determine who is the authentic National Chairman of the party between Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

Abang had in an earlier judgement sacked Makarfi as the National Chairman of the party.

But Makarfi swiftly filed an appeal to quash the ruling.

His faction is organising the convention in Port Harcourt.

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Sheriff, however, insists he remains the national chairman, warning that any convention conducted without his approval is null and void.

Details later…

PDP Crisis: Sheriff Insists Rule Of Law Must Prevail

The disputed National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, has said that the rule of law must prevail for the party’s crisis to be resolved.Sheriff made the statement when he received some members of PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Reconciliation Committee, led by Prof. Jerry Gana, in Abuja on Tuesday night.

According to him, the crisis continues to linger because leaders in the party are not alive to their responsibilities and keep perpetuating it.“I am ready to listen at any time to the committee but for the crisis to be fully resolved, the rule of law must be followed. The moment we want to use one impunity to address another, it will not work.

“If our leaders had taken their responsibilities, we would never have had most of the problems we are facing today.

“When a leader refuses to stand up to his responsibilities, there will be a problem.

“Why am I saying this? Some of our leaders are party to our problems,” Sheriff said.

Briefing newsmen after a closed-door session, Sheriff commended the efforts of the BoT toward reconciling feuding parties and affirmed his availability now that the BoT was now better informed on the crisis.

Read More:

http://guardian.ng/news/pdp-crisis-sheriff-insists-rule-of-law-must-prevail/

Sheriff, Metuh In Court Today To Stop PDP Convention

The Ali Modu Sheriff-faction of the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party is to appear before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday (today) to argue its application for an interlocutory injunction seeking to stop the party from going ahead with its planned national convention scheduled to hold on August 17.

The nine plaintiffs said they filed the suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/464/2016 for themselves and on behalf of the Executive Committee/National Working Committee of the PDP.

They are Sheriff as the National Chairman; Prof. Wale Oladapo (National Secretary); Dennis Alonge-Niyi (Deputy National Youth Leader); Alhaji Bashir Maidugu (Deputy National Legal Advier); Mrs. Hanatu Ulam (Deputy National Women Leader); Alhaji Lawa Dutsima Anchi (Deputy National Auditor); Chief Okey Nnadozie (Deputy National Organising Secretary); and Chief Olia Metuh (National Publicity Secretary).
The suit has only the Independent National Electoral Commission and the PDP as the defendants.

The plaintiffs had filed the substantive suit on July 4, 2016, contending that that by virtue of the PDP’s Constitution, they must remain in office till 2018.

They urged the court to declare all moves aimed at removing, replacing or conducting fresh elections into their offices as illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void.

The Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the party had on July 14 announced August 17 as the date for the party’s national convention when election would be held to fill the positions of national officers of the PDP.

The Sherriff faction therefore on July 20 filed an interlocutory application asking the court to stop the party from going ahead with the planned national convention pending the determination of their substantive suit.

The court presided over by Justice Okon Abang on Tuesday granted the plaintiffs order to have their case heard during the Federal High Court’s ongoing vacation.

The judge in granting the plaintiff’s ex parte motion on Tuesday, held that ordinarily, a part-heard suit could not be heard during vacation without the consent of all parties, but he decided to give room for the hearing because of its urgency.

Credit: Punch

PDP Crisis: Makarfi Urges Sheriff To Embrace Dialogue

The national caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised a factional chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff, to tow the path of dialogue over Edo governorship election.

The chairman of the committee, Ahmed Makarfi, gave the advice on Monday in Abuja when he received the report of the PDP Edo governorship primaries.

“Once again, I call upon the former chairman of PDP, my colleague and friend Sheriff and those associating with him to follow the path of dialogue.

“They should not to do anything further that will cause PDP harm in Edo state,’’ Mr. Makarfi said.

He said it was important for the party to work together as INEC had stated that it required 21 days notice to monitor any primary.

“This means validly and legally, no primary can be conducted apart from the one which we conducted and monitored by INEC.

“If the intention is not to cause the PDP to fail the election, any talk towards conducting other primaries in Edo by anybody either within or outside the state is supposed to have ceased by this time.

“I will continue to plead that what you cannot achieve through peace or dialogue, you cannot achieve it through the opposite,’’ he added.

Credit: PremiumTimes

‘I Remain PDP National Chairman Till 2018’ – Modu Sheriff

Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff purportedly removed as National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the party’s convention in PortHarcourt recently, on Monday said he remained the party’s chairman.

He told newsmen at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja that he would remain in that position until 2018 except he was removed by the court.

Sheriff, who was said to have just returned from a foreign trip, had earlier on Monday been denied access into the party’s secretariat by policemen.

He said that he had watched events as they unfolded after the PortHarcourt convention, which he recalled that he suspended in obedience to a court order.

According to him, the court ordered that nobody should be elected into the offices of National Chairman, Secretary and Auditor at the convention.

Sheriff described the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee constituted at the convention as “omnibus body” saying that it was not in PDP’s Constitution.

“I remain the authentic national chairman of PDP until 2018 unless the court of our land said I should cease to be, which I will obey.

“But, as of today till 2018, I, Ali Modu Sheriff, is the National Chairman of PDP,” he said.He said that if Makarfi was interested in becoming the party’s chairman, he should wait for a national convention and contest.


“Ali Modu Sheriff did not want to be chairman; they begged me to be. All of them came to beg me,” he said.Sheriff disclosed that when policemen stopped him from entering the party’s secretariat in the morning, he went to the Inspector-General of Police, who ordered his men to allow him in.

“Now that the police have handed over the security of the secretariat to the party, I will be coming everyday as the authentic chairman of the party,” he said.

He announced that Sen. Hope Uzordima was Chairman, Screening Committee for the party’s primaries for the Sept. 10 governorship election in Edo.

“We have also asked interested candidates to come and buy their forms for the primaries from Tuesday.”We are not selling the form for N16 million that people are talking about. We are selling it for N10 million,” Sheriff said.

On the fate of the National Working Committee (NWC) members who handed over to Makarfi, he said that a letter would be written to their deputies to take over if they failed to resume on Tuesday.

“All the deputies are waiting; any NWC member that refuses to resume tomorrow, his deputy will take over.”Sheriff, who claimed that he was working with every organ of the party, said that he was ready to work with every party member, including Makarfi and his committee members.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sheriff was in company with National Secretary of the party, Prof. Adewale Oladipo, and a former political aide to former President Goodlucj Jonathan, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak.

Source: The Guardian

Governors, BoT, Sheriff, Makarfi Meet Over PDP Crisis

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), would meet today in Abuja with aggrieved members to find a lasting solution to the crisis within the party.

Stakeholders expected at the meeting at the Ondo Governor’s Lodge in Abuja are, the PDP Governors’ Forum, National Assembly Caucus, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, the Makarfi-led care taker committee and the former National Chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff.

Disclosing this yesterday, the Director General of PDP Governors’ Forum, Osaro Onaiwu, said that the agenda of the meeting is to resolve the crisis rocking the party.

He added that decision would also be taken on the forthcoming Edo State gubernatorial election.Onaiwu said: “The leaders of the party, the Governors’ Forum, National Assembly Caucus, BoT, Makarfi group and Sheriff group will meet tomorrow (today) to address the issue in the party. We want to resolve the crisis in the party once and for all. We want to find lasting solution to it. All parties involved are invited for this meeting. The forthcoming Edo election will also be addressed.”

Credit: Guardian

Sheriff, Makarfi Sent Out Of PDP BoT Meeting

The former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ali Modu Sheriff and the chairman of the Caretaker committee of the Party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi were excused out of a meeting of the board of trustees of the party which is on going in Abuja.

Senator Sheriff walked into the Transcorp Hilton venue of the meeting at about 11:10 am and was followed five minutes later by senator Makarfi who also walked in to the meeting.

The duo sat at the high table alongside the chairman of the Board, Senator Jibril Wali and the secretary, Chief Ojo Maduekwe. Few minutes later, the chairman of the board announced that the board had a very important decision to take before the commencement of the meeting.

At this point, he asked journalists covering the opening ceremony to leave the hall and less than five minutes later, senators Sheriff and Makarfi walked out of the meeting hall. A member of the board who does not want to be named told vanguard that the two were asked to leave the hall because it would be inappropriate for them to be in attendance at a meeting that was going to discuss their matter.

Credit: vanguardngr

Why Jonathan Lost 2015 Election- Sheriff

The Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Ali Modu-Sheriff has identified arrogance as one of the factors that contributed to the loss of former president, Goodluck Jonathan, in the 2015 presidential election.
In an interview, Sheriff said things would have been different if he was the one in charge. He said the former ruling party had the opportunity to win but squandered it.
“So many factors contributed to Jonathan’s failure to win the elections… I know that arrogance was one of such issues and I also know that some of our party men and women sold out,” he said.
“I may not be able to tell you everything now, but it is an open secret that even his own men worked against him. By the time we went into that election, so many things had happened which served as warning signals of failure, but they were ignored.
“If I were in charge, things would have been different. You can see even for the few weeks that we took charge; we have begun changing the old order of doing things
“If I were in charge, I would not have allowed our members, especially people who control strategic states with large voting population, to move out of the party massively in the build-up to the elections.”
He said the party would coast to victory in coming elections, saying one of his targets is ensuring that “PDP gets it right”.
Sheriff said those opposed to his emergence could not deny the fact that he enjoys popularity in the party.
“Recent activities in the country have put the PDP in a safe position to rework our strategies and bounce back to power. We are already on the drawing board and I assure you we are going to get it right next time,” he said.
“It is normal for people to express dissenting opinions in such situations. Some people may have spoken against my choice, which I consider to be their right, but I don’t think it is right for you to say I emerged against popular opinion, because those who identified with me were actually more in number, but they did not deem it necessary to join issues with those who feel otherwise.
“If we do not have our own ideas, which we plan to inject and turn things round, we would not have accepted the responsibility to lead at this time.”

Credit: Thisday

PDP BOT Insists Modu Ali Sheriff Must Leave

The Board of Trustees, BoT,  of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday insisted that   the   national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, and members of the National Working Committee, NWC,  must leave office in May as approved by the various organs of the party.

The insistence by the party’s BOT is coming on the heels of calls by some state chapters of the party that the position of the chairman of the party be retained in the northern part of the country in order to give the party a national spread. Some members of the party have also been mooting the idea that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff should stay beyond the three months mandate given to him by the party’s National Executive Council in order to stabilize the party.

Although the party’s National Executive Council NEC, had asked the Sheriff-led NWC to enpanel convention, financial, zoning and  reconciliation committees ahead of the May 21 National Convention of the party to be held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, not much had been done to constitute these committees.

PDP Chairman, Sheriff, Appoints Aides

The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ali Sheriff, has appointed Inusa Mohammed as his Principal Secretary.

A statement by the national secretary of the party, Adewale Oladipo, on Wednesday also said the party’s leadership had approved the appointment of Uche Nnaji as the Political Adviser to Mr. Sheriff, while an ex-Senator, Saidu Kumo, was appointed as the Special Adviser on National Assembly Relations.

The statement added that another former Senator, Ighoyota Amori, was appointed as the Special Adviser, Reconciliation and Conflict Management.

 “The appointments take immediate effect,” the statement said.

Credit: PremiumTimes

PDP Gives Sheriff Three Months To Hold Convention, Hand Over

The newly-appointed National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Alli Modu Sheriff has been given three months to conduct a national convention and hand over to an elected National Chairman. The three months period was given to Senator Sheriff by the PDP on Tuesday. However, the PDP Former Ministers’ Forum which met also on Tuesday rejected Sheriff as National Chairman and harped on the need for a National Convention of the party before March 28 to elect a new National Chairman and other national officers. It will be recalled that Senator Sheriff had, since his adoption last week by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party, been facing various forms of opposition. The BoT of the PDP had, for

The BoT of the PDP had, for instance risen from a meeting on Monday in Abuja with a declaration that Sheriff was unfit to lead the party. In a dramatic U-turn, the same BoT, through its acting Chairman, Senator Walid Jubrin, said on Tuesday that the board is now on the same page with other organs of the party to stand behind Sheriff in steering the affairs of the party. The decision to offer three months life line to the National Chairman came after a meeting between the PDP Governors’ Forum, the BoT, the NWC and the PDP National Assembly Caucus at Ondo State Governor’s Lodge. The Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ondo State,

The Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko while briefing Journalists after the meeting, said the various organs of the party agreed to work as one family. Mimiko said, “In view of the recent development of our party, I want to let you know that all organs of the party, the Governors forum, National Assembly caucus and BoT have agreed to stand by our national chairman to ensure that our party moves forward. “We have put behind us all the controversies in the last few days and I want to assure you that we are together as a party. “We have also mandated the National Working Committee (NWC) to put in motion immediately the processes of ensuring that within three months the national convention of our party is called. “We will brief all our manners within the next two weeks; the timetabl will be out all culminating in the national convention.

“I want to assure all of you that PDP is ready. Let them know that as one big family we are set and ready to move forward and ensure that we give good governance to the country,” the Governor said. Mimiko pointed out that all organs of the party were represented at the meeting. Speaking on the outcome of the meeting by the former PDP ministers, the Governor declared that every past minister is a product of the state caucus of the party. His words, “They (the former PDP Ministers) emanate from the state. The caucus of the party is all designed that every state is represented by the chairman of the party.

Credit: DailyTimes

PDP Former Ministers To Decide Sheriff’s Fate

The former ministers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are meeting in Abuja to decide Senator Ali Modu Sheriff on the party’s leadership.

The former Minister of Special Duties and Chairman of the PDP’s Ministers Forum, Kabiru Turaki, disclosed that the meeting would take some critical decisions that would save the party from its leadership crisis.

He also believed that the forum would also be able to save the party from further collapse.

The PDP former ministers from 1999 till 2015, when the party lost to the All Progressives Congress (APC) are meeting to decide whether or not to allow Senator Sheriff continue as the party’s National Chairman.

The meeting is sequel to series of controversies that have trailed the emergence of the new PDP National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who resumed office on Monday.

PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT) had earlier joined the group of those rejecting the appointment of Senator Sheriff as the party’s National Chairman, saying that he was not a suitable leader for the party.

The acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s BoT, Senator Walid Jubril, maintained that the board would meet to provide a viable solution to the leadership crisis.

Credit: ChannelsTv

‘If Sheriff Is A Goliath, Then He Has Met His David’- Fani-Kayode

Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has reacted to Senator Ali Modu Sheriff’s threat that he will be dealt with.

The former Aviation Minister, in a statement, said he is amused by the Senator’s threat and he is waiting with baited breath for his actions.

Mr Fani-Kayode who is a member of the PDP and one of the party leaders who are unhappy with the process which brought Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the new PDP national chairman, criticised the emergence of the former governor of Borno State as the new PDP Chairman, raising allegations of a link of the new party leader with the Boko Haram sect, a terrorist group which has killed hundreds of innocent Nigerians since it began its operations few years ago.

The former minister says “we are more than ready to meet Senator Ali Modu Sheriff in court. It would be a pleasure to expose him for what he is. The days of intimidating, silencing and threatening others are long over.

“If sheriff is a Goliath, let him be rest assured that he has finally met his David. Needless to say we stand by everything that we have said,”he added.

Credit: ChannelsTv

I Will Not Resign, Sheriff Replies Critics

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has said that he will not be forced to relinquish the task of rebuilding the party entrusted to him by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP.

Speaking at his first interactive session with journalists at the party’s national secretary in Abuja yesterday, Sheriff said since he was given the major task of rebuilding and repositioning the party, he believed that it was the responsibility of the leadership to decide on his tenure.
Responding to allegations of his links to Boko Haram, Sheriff said there was no one in authority or any court of competent jurisdiction that had ever indicted him for complicity in the criminal acts of the terrorists.

Reacting to calls by some leaders of the PDP to step down to avert a further crisis in the party, Sheriff said such a move was uncalled for, assuring the party’s stakeholders that he would reach out to all aggrieved party men for reconciliation and join forces to rebuild the party.
“I saw the person who was reading at the press conference, Ambassador Wilberforce Juta. He submitted himself to the National Working Committee (NWC) of this party, aspiring to be chairman.

“Also, (Mohammed) Wakil whom you saw on television submitted himself to the NWC to be appointed chairman and votes were cast. The man that was speaking at the press conference (on Sunday) got one vote and he is asking me to resign. Therefore, I will not resign,” he said.

The former Borno State governor insisted that his emergence took place through due process, adding that contrary to the views propagated by his critics in the party that he was imposed on the PDP, he was granted a waiver to contest the Senate seat after joining PDP and was endorsed by a duly constituted NEC.

“I was given an official waiver by the NWC immediately I joined the party when I sought to run for the Senate and my letter of waiver was signed by the National Secretary.

“The leadership of this party, in its wisdom, asked me to lead. If the NEC of this party collectively asked me to lead, I will lead; but not somebody who contested an election and got one vote.

“I think if there is a moral issue, because he should not even have gone on air. However, in this country, people are allowed to say what they like.

“I took over this party; 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 will be leaving, I will only tell you when the party leaders sit down and see what is the immediate time to do this job, and if they decide, I am ready for it.

“The person we saw on the television asking me to resign submitted himself to the NWC for the position and got just one vote, but I will not resign. I do not plan to resign as I was appointed to reposition this party. I will do my job and will not resign,” he said.

Elaborating on his tenure, Sheriff said he was appointed to rebuild the party but the time frame under which this would be done would be the job of the party leaders to decide.

Sheriff expressed regret that PDP was undeservedly pushed to the role of opposition after leading the country for over 16 years.

Credit: ThisDay

BoT Gives Jonathan March Deadline To Reject Sheriff

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders are still quarelling over the choice of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as Acting National Chairman.

Some former ministers and members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) have raised a committee to meet with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, who is to be told —reject Sheriff or face a mass exodus. The deadline is March.

Sheriff barged into a BoT session yesterday but members only promised to get back to him on his plea for acceptance.

The BoT resolved not to endorse Sheriff. It may advertise the job, a source hinted.

But the  anti-Sheriff forces in the party and some members of the National Working Committee(NWC) are pushing for the tenure of the acting chairman to end in March.

Credit: Nation

Read Fayose’s Opinion Concerning Sheriff’s Emergence As PDP Chairman

The Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, has hailed the emergence of a former governor of Borno State, Ali Sheriff, as the national chairman of the PDP, calling on all members and supporters of the party to support the new chairman.

Mr. Fayose, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said the choice of Mr. Sheriff was in the best interest of the party.

“I have always defended the party even at the risk of my position, personal security and comfort.

“I have always stood for the truth, and I cannot now be part of any decision that won’t represent the party well.

“I supported the processes that led to the emergence of Ali Modu Sheriff because I believe in him and for those who may be aggrieved for one reason or the other; I plead that they should sheath their sword in the overall interest of our party.

“Most importantly, the reality that we must all face is that we are in a peculiar situation and such a situation deserves a peculiar approach.

“What the party leaders have done therefore is to tackle the present situation in our party with the most appropriate solution and we must all stand by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who is our present solution to our present situation…”

Credit: PremiumTimes

APC Replies Sheriff, PDP Over 2019 Election Ambition

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has reacted to a declaration by the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Modu Sheriff, that he would lead his party to reclaim federal power in the 2019 election.

Mr. Sheriff, who was named PDP chairman on Tuesday, made the declaration on Wednesday.

Read APC’s statement below:

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to in reacting to the laughable comments credited to the newly-selected National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff, is mindful of the 16th century English language proverb and nursery rhyme “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride”.

In monitored media reports, Ali Modu Sheriff boasted in Umuahia, the Abia State capital that the ailing PDP which lost power in 2015 will regain control of the federal government in 2019. Ali Modu Sheriff was also quoted saying the PDP would soon come out with its “master plan” to regain power.

The APC is reluctant to join issues with Ali Modu Sheriff’s idle 2019 postulations and would rather join issues that will bring about all-inclusive development in the country.

However, the APC and indeed Nigerians seriously hope the touted “master plan” includes how the PDP and its cronies will return public funds stolen under the PDP’s watch for 16 years. 

Nigerians are aware that the current economic hardship and institutional rot was caused by the PDP’s 16-year misrule and pillage. President Muhammadu Buhari has been working assiduously to correct the PDP’s years of damage and bring about people-centric governance. It is baffling how the PDP expects Nigerians to abandon APC’s smooth sailing ship for a sinking and rudderless PDP ship, come 2019.

The 2015 elections has been won and lost. The priority of the present APC administration is to deliver on election promises made by the party to Nigerians who long-desired change of political leadership at the federal level and in many states.

Happily, Nigerians can look back, with relief and attest that since the APC-led administration took over governance, Nigeria is back on the right track – economically and security-wise – and has taken its right of place among the comity of progressive nations.

The widely-acclaimed job creation, social welfare and inclusion programmes proposed by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has been well received. The full implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by the present administration has greatly plugged revenue leakages.

The presidential directive to the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) to adjust its pricing template to reflect competitive and market driven components has? resulted in a more efficient and realistic pricing system for petroleum products and also brought about constant availability of fuel nationwide.

Nigeria is winning the war against insurgency.

In spite of desperate attempts to discredit ongoing anti-corruption efforts, the war against graft is being won.

In reiterating the recent submission of the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, for the first time in many years, Nigeria now has a solidly positive international image and the president is trying to cash in on this image to help rescue our nation from the throes, the economic morass which the PDP 16-year misrule has plunged Nigeria.

These are clear indicators showing that the APC and the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is on the right track to delivering on its Change Agenda. With the support and prayers of Nigerians, the APC assures that Nigeria will reach its full potential under our leadership.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Stop Labeling Sheriff As Boko Haram Sponsor- PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned against labeling its new national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as “Boko Haram Sponsor.”
The party said whoever has concrete evidence should prove or stop spreading such dangerous rumour.

A statement yesterday by PDP national auditor, Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju said the allegation that Sheriff was romancing with Boko Haram is a plot to discredit the party before Nigerians and the international community.

The party appealed to all well-meaning Nigerians and the international community to ignore the new antics of the enemies who it said is bent on truncating the party’s chances of reclaiming federal power in 2019.

“We are very much aware that some elements are jittery over PDP’s decision to pick him as its national chairman and the only way out for them is to label him as Boko Haram sponsor,” the party said.

Credit: dailytrust

Jonathan’s Loyalists Threaten To Dump PDP Because Of Sheriff’s Emergence

Some ministers, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, have threatened to leave the Peoples Democratic Party if Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff is not removed as the national chairman of the party.

They said “imposing” the former governor of Borno State on the party by some of its influential members was meant to portray the party as unserious.

They added that the plan to reposition the former ruling party ahead of the 2019 general elections had failed with Sheriff’s emergence.

Spokesperson for the former ministers and a former Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Suleiman, said this in an interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja on Wednesday.

Sheriff was selected by the members of the party’s National Executive Committee at their meeting, which was held in Abuja on Tuesday.

His selection has attracted divergent views from members of the party, including its many organs.

For example, the Board of Trustees of the party and its Senate Caucus have kicked against Sheriff’s choice.

In his reaction, Suleiman said it was obvious that the plan to rescue the party had failed.

He said, “Our rescue mission has failed; the redemption boat has capsized and our journey to recovery has come to an end.

“Whosoever partook in the decision does not mean well for the party and democracy in Nigeria.

“It is obvious that the fifth columnist has hijacked the party and they are hell-bent on sinking it deeper into irrecoverable level of the pit.

The ex-minister added, “Some of us would rather review our membership than subject ourselves to selfish interests of some cabal whose main goal is political profiteering. After all, our umbilical cord is not tied to any party.”

Asked if his group was planning to move to either the All Progressives Congress or form another political party, Suleiman said the decision would be taken soon.

“Some people will go to the APC while some will form their own political party if they so desire.

“Sheriff’s emergence is a setback for the party trying to build its image. Credible members and younger ones are going to leave the party.

“If his emergence is not reversed in the next one week, there could be massive exodus from the party.”

Suleiman said though the former governor had not been identified with Boko Haram, he argued that the perception of many people about him on the Boko Haram issue ought to have been considered.

Credit: Punch

We Will Replace Buhari In 2019, Sheriff Vows

Newly-appointed national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ali Modu Sheriff, on Wednesday vowed to lead the party to regain control of the federal government in 2019.

Mr. Sheriff said nothing would stop his party, which lost power in 2015, from ousting the current All Progressives Congress’ administration.

Mr. Sheriff is a founding member of the All Progressives Congress. He defected to the PDP in 2014 ahead of national elections in 2015.

He gave his remarks on Wednesday in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, during a thanksgiving service organised to mark the victory of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu at the Supreme Court.

The court had on February 3 affirmed Mr. Okezie’s victory in the April 11, 2015 governorship election.

Mr. Sheriff, a former senator and governor of Borno State, who was named PDP national chairman on Tuesday night, said the PDP would soon come out with its master plan on how it would defeat the All Progressives Congress from power.

“We are here today, we are starting from here, and we are going to Aso Rock, Insha Allah by 2019,” the PDP chairman said.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Los Angeles Sheriff’s Deputy Gets 8 Years In Jail For Beating A Prisoner

A former Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy was sentenced Monday to eight years in federal prison for supervising the backroom beating of a jail visitor who fellow guards testified was handcuffed on the ground and covered in blood.

U.S. District Judge George King ordered former Sgt. Eric Gonzalez taken into custody immediately.

Gonzalez, a 15-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department, was found guilty of deprivation of civil rights, conspiracy to violate constitutional rights and falsification of records in the 2011 beating of Gabriel Carrillo. Four other deputies have been convicted in the case and await sentencing, while a fifth was indicted in the case last month. Nigeria take a clue.