The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali
Modu Sheriff, has said that it was wrong for Governor Ayodele Fayose to
have rejected him as the leader of the party on behalf of other
governors.
Sheriff spoke with journalists in Abuja on Saturday on the Court of
Appeal judgement in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which was in his
favour.
The court ruled that the decisions taken at the May 21, 2015 Port Harcourt National Convention of the party was null and void.
Sheriff had earlier declared the convention postponed before the
governors and some leaders of the party insisted that the convention
must hold.
The former governor of Borno State had hinged his decision on
several court decisions, asking the party not to go ahead with the
planned convention.
However, after the court ruling, Fayose had addressed a press
conference on Friday in Abuja, where he said Sheriff would not lead the
party.
Fayose, who is the governor of Ekiti State, spoke in his capacity as the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum.
He said the faction of the party being led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi would appeal the judgement.
His position was backed by that of the Chairman of the Board of
Trustees of the party, Senator Walid Jibrin, who also appealed to loyal
members of the PDP not to defect to other political parties because of
the unfavourable ruling.
However, Sheriff said it was wrong to assume that Fayose spoke the
mind of other governors, saying that no other governor was at the
briefing.
Sheriff had earlier said he had spoken with some of the governors on
the outcome of the case, including the Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr.
Seriake Dickson, who is the chairman of the party’s reconciliation
committee.
He, therefore, said that the view expressed by Fayose at the
briefing did not represent the position of the other governors of the
troubled party.
He said, “How many governor addressed you? In my statement, I said
that I have spoken with many governors (So,) if one come and talk his
opinion, I have no issue to join with anybody.
“I don’t have issue to join with anybody but i know I am talking to governors and I know their opinion.”
When our correspondent sought the response of the governor to Sheriff’s observation, he declined comment.
“No comment,” he said in a text message.
Sheriff however denied some comments which he said were being
attributed to him in the social media, saying that he had never spoken
with anyone since the judgment was delivered.
He said apart from calling governors, leadership of the party and
other stakeholders, on the need to move the party forward, he said he
did not make any comment on Fayose and the Governor of Rivers State, Mr.
Nyesom Wike.
He said every member of the party must join him to move the party
forward now, adding that the judgment was neither in his favour nor
against Makarfi.
Sheriff said, “The judgement of the Port Harcourt Court of Appeal
on Friday, does not call for merriment or mourning. In my candid view,
there was no victor and no vanquished.
“I see the judgement as a golden opportunity for a sincere renewal
of our sense of unity and fraternity. No doubt, we have come a long and
tortuous road, wherein some of us have been bruised or outrightly
wounded and are hurt. I understand also, that for some of us, our ego
has been agitated.
“Yet, I dare say that we can put all of that behind us and come
together with one accord and move our great party, the Peoples‘
Democratic Party forward.
“Let me use this auspicious opportunity to assure all our party
faithful, both the mighty and the weak, the young and old, that on my
part I am ready and willing to work in any capacity that that can bring
lasting peace to our party.
