The embattled acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
Modu Sheriff has dismissed reports linking him to the Boko Haram terror
group, ravaging North eastern Nigeria saying he never sponsored the
sect.
According to him, he was being targeted, because he fought the group when he was governor.
The former Borno State governor, who spoke at the party secretariat shortly after he officially resumed office, said he would not step down despite the pressure.
The crisis rocking the PDP recently took a new twist as there was a sharp division among the organs of the party over the choice of the former governor of Borno State, Sheriff as the new national chairman of the Party.
Sheriff who was the Chairman, Board of Trustees, BOT of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, was picked by the PDP caucus as the candidate from the pool of other aspirants that appeared for the interview and screening.
In another twist, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, disclosed that the Sheriff, is still under investigation for alleged corruption.
Sheriff was arrested by the commission in June last year for alleged embezzlement of public funds during his eight years as governor of Borno State, but was granted bail.
The ex-governor was alleged to have misappropriated over N300 billion from the Federation Account between 2003 and 2011.
He was subsequently detained from June 3 to June 4, 2015 and released on administrative bail without being charged to court.
The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, had said, “We can ask him to come back anytime we need him. Sheriff is still under investigation.”
After his emergence as PDP chairman, there has been a clarion call for him to resign over his alleged link with Boko Haram.
Reacting, Sherrif said: “I won’t resign because the leadership of the party, in their wisdom, chose me to lead the PDP for the purpose of rebuilding and repositioning the party at this critical period.”
The chairman said he would promptly embark on consultations with opposing groups and stakeholders with the view to seeking reconciliation and acceptance from all.
Sheriff also pointed accusing fingers at a former governor of the old Gongola State, Wilberforce Juta, who is leading the PDP Rescue Group demanding his resignation.
According to him, he was being targeted, because he fought the group when he was governor.
The former Borno State governor, who spoke at the party secretariat shortly after he officially resumed office, said he would not step down despite the pressure.
The crisis rocking the PDP recently took a new twist as there was a sharp division among the organs of the party over the choice of the former governor of Borno State, Sheriff as the new national chairman of the Party.
Sheriff who was the Chairman, Board of Trustees, BOT of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, was picked by the PDP caucus as the candidate from the pool of other aspirants that appeared for the interview and screening.
In another twist, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, disclosed that the Sheriff, is still under investigation for alleged corruption.
Sheriff was arrested by the commission in June last year for alleged embezzlement of public funds during his eight years as governor of Borno State, but was granted bail.
The ex-governor was alleged to have misappropriated over N300 billion from the Federation Account between 2003 and 2011.
He was subsequently detained from June 3 to June 4, 2015 and released on administrative bail without being charged to court.
The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, had said, “We can ask him to come back anytime we need him. Sheriff is still under investigation.”
After his emergence as PDP chairman, there has been a clarion call for him to resign over his alleged link with Boko Haram.
Reacting, Sherrif said: “I won’t resign because the leadership of the party, in their wisdom, chose me to lead the PDP for the purpose of rebuilding and repositioning the party at this critical period.”
The chairman said he would promptly embark on consultations with opposing groups and stakeholders with the view to seeking reconciliation and acceptance from all.
“I will leave no stone unturned. I will go to everybody for support. I will bring everybody on board. Let those who were not consulted before I was appointed forgive all of us for whatever wrongs have been made.According to him, no court has ever linked him to Boko Haram and reports linking him to the group emanated from the imagination of the writers.
“Let us put our differences behind us so that we can overcome our challenges and rebuild the party together. If all stakeholders agree to build the party, PDP will become the biggest party in Nigeria again,” Sheriff pleaded.
“Boko Haram killed my own brother. They killed members of my family. So, why should I sponsor people to kill my own brother, my own family? I am not a fanatic. I love to enjoy my life.He singled out a former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, among the people linking him with the terror sect, saying “this time around, people like Fani-Kayode will not go scot-free”.
“Boko Haram are criminals who live in the bush and eat once a day. I believe their sponsors will be caught at the end of the day. I have nothing to do with Boko Haram,” Sheriff said.
Sheriff also pointed accusing fingers at a former governor of the old Gongola State, Wilberforce Juta, who is leading the PDP Rescue Group demanding his resignation.
“Juta has no moral ground to ask me to resign, because he was among the people that contested the position with me. He scored only one vote and now he has turned around to ask me to resign.
“How can a person that got only one vote ask me to resign? Where is credibility; where is justice? If he did not contest the position with me, maybe I would have listened to him,” he said.
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