A former Foreign Affairs minister, and member of the PDP’s Board of Trustees (BOT), Ojo Madueke, Tuesday echoed the voice of the army of opposition against the move by Ali Modu-Sheriff to succeed himself as party chairman , saying his ambition may destroy the party beyond redemption.
The party top gun also explained why he refused to support the ambition of one man against good conscience, equity and fair play, even when he (Modu-Sheriff) visited his home to solicit for his backing.
He also expressed regret that some elements within the top echelon of the party were trying to impose illegality and immorality on the party by zoning both the President and Chairman to the north.
Meanwhile a top source close to Sheriff has told Pointblanknews.com “ Sheriff is thinking of completing his tenure in 2018 – when PDP would have been in good stead to confront the All Progressives. Congress (APC) at the polls in 2019. Pro-Sheriff governors and leaders want him to stay till 2018 in line with the “secret agreement” which led to his selection as the new PDP chairman. They said they will not allow any subtle plot to force Sheriff to step down in March. This is the situation we are now. No doubt, there is tension in the party. We are sharply divided.”
Another BOT member who preferred anonymity said: “Sheriff came to our meeting, unaccompanied by the NWC members. He virtually begged us to give him a chance to lead the party.
“We listened to him but we were unanimous that he is not the one needed to lead PDP. He wanted our endorsement but we hold him that we will get back to him.
“We did not make any commitment to Sheriff. At our meeting, we resolved not to accept his candidature.”
According to Madueke , “ we cannot continue this way, such reluctance to respect internal democracy, impunity was one of the factors that affected the party in the last dispensation.
Madueke, a former PDP scribe, who led the recent walkout by the BOT from a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in protest against the Modu-Sheriff’s plot, maintained that “ Modu-Sheriff must leave by May 31st because he said so and those who foisted him on us also promised that”
In a phone interview with Pointblanknews.com, Madueke, who said moving to the APC was not an option for the aggrieved however said “ if he stays beyond the May convention, through illegal means, we will make a decision, but we won’t leave or form another party but fight from within”
The former Ambassador to Canada recalled how Modu-Sherriff came to his house to solicit his support for his ambition to be chairman beyond the May convention.
“ I am duty bound to reject the process of his emergence. He wanted my support, he came to my house to ask for my support but I told him, no. I know some Governors and NWC members are backing him but for me I said I will not. I told him you can be a father figure, help the party in the north east. Aside that he is new to the party, why cant he help the party from behind without being chairman beyond May.”
Madueke Said “ We must regain the trust of Nigerians, what bothers me is we are still doing the wrong things and elicited the clamor for change. The North cannot have both the chairman and the President, that is not fair. I will not be at the convention and will not attend any NEC meetings until he leaves.”
“ It is wrong to zone the chairman’s slot to the North East to ensure he emerges, we are not leaving but wont form a new party or join the APC because if you do you will still meet same elements in the APC. So many people are angry in the party”
On the move by Modu-Sheriff to mastermind the change of constitution to ensure, he must approve the agenda of the BOT before the body meets, the former minister said all such moves would only put the PDP” in a huge mess”
The Dr Abubakar Suleiman led Ex ministers forum, some elements in the NASS, vocal members in the South West like Femi Fani-Kayode and Dr Doyin Okupe, have all kicked against hisplot to extend his stay, but the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Abdulahi Jalo, explained that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party granted him a waiver in order to be eligible.
Speaking on a television interview in Lagos, Jalo said in line with the eligibility clause in the Constitution of the party which stipulates a two-year period for someone who decamps from another party to able to contest in the party, the NEC considered Sheriff’s case and awarded him a waiver”.