The Edo State Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, Chris Nekhire, has described the suspension of the Edo State Executive of party by the Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction as a huge joke, asking Sherifg to stay clear of affairs of the party in the state.
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Sheriff’s action is coming just few days after the Chairman of the party’s Caretaker Committee, Sen Ahmed Makarfi announced Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the party’s flag bearer for the state election.
Sheriff and a former National Secretary of the PDP, Professor Wale Oladipo had in a statement cited “various petitions deriving from allegations of irregularities, arising from the last state congresses that sought to elect (an) executive committee for the chapter”.
However, Sheriff released a scheduled congress in the state to start from June 23rd-June 29th with the inauguration of Congress Committee scheduled for Thursday.
Speaking at his Abuja residence while inaugurating his faction’s version of the governorship election primaries committee for Edo State in Abuja, he said; “The National Secretary narrowly escaped being attacked by Fulani herdsmen”.
He later addressed reporters in Benin City on Saturday, stressing that, as a lawmaker he was convinced that the only legally recognised PDP in Nigeria was that headed by Senator Sheriff. First the Edo primaries and all the processes leading to it were properly conducted, monitored and observed by INEC.
He said: “For us in Edo State PDP, we will ignore the ranting of Sheriff and face the business of defeating Adams Oshiomhole and his surrogate, that is, their APC candidate”.
On the state of the party, particularly on the financial state of the party, Sheriff who denied that he was serving out Bamanga Tukur’s tenure, said only he and the National Treasurer were presently the authorised signatories to the party’s account, adding that his group is in control of the finances of the party at the moment.
Orbih said Sheriff’s action was a clear indication that he is not a true member of the PDP.
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After his removal, a caretaker committee was set up led by Senator Makarfi, but Senator Sheriff said his removal violated a court order issued in relation to the party’s convention, which he also claimed nullified every decision taken at that convention. He said Sheriff should stop arrogating powers that he doesn’t possess to himself. Procedures for taking such far reaching decisions are prescribed in the constitution of the party, so is the organs so empowered to take it.
