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PDP Crisis: Compromised BoT Gives Sheriff 2018 Quit Deadline

In an apparent sign that its members have been compromised, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday gave their embattled interim party chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, a 2018 deadline within which to vacate office.

The BoT, which met at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, also declared that the PDP will be fielding a presidential candidate from the North for the 2019 presidential election.

The BoT meeting also saw the confirmation of Sen. Walid Jibril as its substantive chairman and the appointment of Ojo Madueke as National Secretary. 

Some members of the board were said to have had private meetings with Sheriff and some PDP state governors in Abuja on Sunday night.

Prof. Jerry Gana, who was accused of squandering N500m in the name of organising fund-raising dinners for the party in 2015, was said to have attended Monday’s BoT meeting.

It would be recalled that just days ago, Gana was among those who insisted that Sheriff must not be allowed to contest the party chairmanship election at the party's forthcoming national convention on May 21 in Port Harcourt.

Gana, who spoke with reporters in Abuja last week on behalf of the PDP Northern Elders, also called for the postponement of the convention.

At the other meeting of the PDP Stakeholders Forum, Chief Maduekwe, who once served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and lately as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Canada, had also called for the shifting of the convention and the removal of Sheriff from office.

The BoT meeting was attended by Sheriff and other leaders of the party.

 
Maduekwe, who briefed journalists after the Board's meeting, laboured in vain to justify the sudden turnaround by the Board and himself.

He said that Sheriff, the sole candidate for the position, had explained that a new chairperson would come on board when he steps down at the party's midterm convention.

He was, however, unable to tell the journalists that the party had obtained a word of commitment from Sheriff to step down in 2018.

Before the board made its decision known, Sheriff had informed reporters at the opening ceremony that all parties had agreed that the North would produce the party's presidential candidate in 2019.

He said a meeting was held with PDP governors on Sunday night to review the just concluded congresses in States where there were problems and other issues.

He equally announced that the party and the BoT had agreed that the plan to amend the party's constitution be halted, a point subsequently confirmed by Maduekwe while briefing reporters.

‎"I was not a party chairman when the constitution committee was set up, I was not the chairman at that time,” Sheriff said.  “So, I have nothing to do with it. But I will take all the responsibility to have it resolved. Please, let's forget and move ahead.


He later took the time to tender a formal apology to Gana over some derogatory statements that had been made by his media adviser.

Among others at the meeting were Josephine Anenih, Mike Ogiadhome, Adolphus Wabara‎, Ibrahim Mantu, Tanimu Turaki, Chris Uba, Jona Jang, Senator Ahmadu Alli, Shuaib Oyedokun, and Bode George.

 

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