Sheriff storms PDP Secretariat, insists ‘I remain chairman till 2018’

A week after Ahmed Markarfi took over the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff, on Monday stormed the national secretariat of the party, declaring that he remains chairman of the party till 2018.

Sheriff who briefed newsmen shortly after he got access to the premises and his office, also revealed how all the 12 PDP governors, National Executive Committee (NEC), National Assembly Caucus, Board of Trustees (BoT) and other party leaders begged him to become national chairman of the party.

He was earlier prevented by men of the Nigeria police from gaining entrance into the PDP secretariat twice on Monday morning.

He also declared that aspirants for the Edo State governorship election must purchase their forms in Abuja for N10million instead of N16million, noting that those who purchased forms in the state are engaging in illegality. He declared Hope Uzodinma as chairman of the screening committee for the Edo guber polls.

Sheriff further declared that the Ahmed Markarfi-led caretaker committee was unknown to the party’s constitution and cannot lay claim to its leadership.

Recall that last week, the Board of Trustees and the National Working Committee (NWC), handed over the premises of the party and its operations to the Markafi-led caretaker committee, which was constituted at the party’s national convention in Port Harcourt.

Although Sheriff stormed the secretariat as early as 7am, accompanied by former national secretary Adewale Oladipo and former national auditor, Wole Adeyanju, he was later allowed entry by the FCT Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ciroma Bala at exactly 1:25pm.

Briefing journalists after a brief meeting with his team, Sheriff said “I remain authentic chairman unless the court of our land and our court make a judgment to the contrary. As of today till 2018, Ali Sheriff is chairman of PDP.”

He added that he has returned to office after an exparte motion filed in Port Harcourt restricting him from parading himself as chairman, elapsed.

He recalled that he suspended the Port Harcourt convention because of a court case over tenure of offices of National Secretary, National Auditor and National Chairman and another court case over 18 other NWC offices.

He noted that the former deputy national chairman, Uche Secondus was barred from parading himself as acting chairman adding “I didn’t give Secondus authority to operate” at the convention.

Recalling how he became chairman he said “I didn’t want to be chairman, they came and begged me to be chairman of PDP. Nobody will put my reputation in jeopardy.”

He added: “All PDP governors, NEC, National Assembly Caucus begged me to become chairman.”

He dismissed insinuations that he was working alone, adding that the chairman of the BoT, Walid Jubrin has called him on phone twice.

He added that the he is ready to work with every party member, stressing “the party belongs to all of us. Everybody is welcome we will work with everybody. We will talk to everybody.”

On the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State, Sheriff said a serving senator, Hope Uzodinma is chairman of the committee to produce a candidate.

“There is only one place to buy form and that is the national secretariat in Abuja. Anybody that goes to buy form from caretaker is on their own.

“We are taking N16million from Edo not N10million. All interested parties should start buying their forms.

“People have a right to do what they want but as PDP we agree the form is N10m and it will be paid into party account. Nomination forms are not paid to state but to national headquarters,” he stated.