The embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, has condemned Wednesday’s protest at the party secretariat, describing it as a “shameful act of hooliganism and brigandage.”
In a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Mr. Inuwa Bwala shortly after the protest, Sheriff accused the Ahmed Makarfi -led Caretaker Committee of sponsoring the protest to undermine his leadership.
He described the action as a sad reminder of the days of lawlessness, impunity and brigandage “for which the sponsors of the caretaker committee have been known over the years.”
Sheriff enjoined his supporters to remain calm and law abiding in the face of the various provocations and allow the law to take its course.
He also implored security agencies to stop taking sides in political matters, even as he frowned at the way policemen deployed to secure the party secretariat refrained from interfering in the protest.
Accusing the caretaker committee of desperation, lies and blackmail, Sheriff said attempts to confer legitimacy on the committee would fail.
He refuted the allegation by the Makarfi camp that he was being sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The statement said, “Makarfi and his sponsors want to create the wrong impression that Sheriff is not reliable, whereas it is an open secret that Sheriff has given credible and honest leadership to his state, to Nigeria and to the PDP, even for the short period he has been in the saddle of leadership than Ahmed Makarfi.
“Be that as it may, we wish to challenge Ahmed Makarfi to name the date, venue and names of those in attendance at the so called meeting Sheriff allegedly had with some Governors of the APC.
“Again how could Sheriff be a stooge when he remains the only PDP stalwart that speaks out against the APC since the party lost the 2015 elections?
“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state that Ali Modu Sheriff left the APC at its formative stage, and has never had anything to do with the party or any of its stalwarts since his departure.
“One wonders how Ahmed Makarfi and his cohorts could tell lies just to divert attention from the real issues at stake.”
