Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has said the emergence of Ali Modu Sheriff as National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is a development the All Progressives Congress, APC, is comfortable with.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja yesterday, the governor said: “We are happy because we believe in the long run he would work for us. Find out his history you will believe me.”
The governor said he was amused with Senator Sheriff ’s statement that he will lead PDP to victory come 2019 general election.
He said: “I do not wish to engage in cross fire. But I will like to tell you that it is the normal utterances of those who want to impress his followers. But I believe it is an empty threat. “Looking at the antecedents, the history of the chairman himself, we all know he is a cross-carpeter. He is always on the move in changing from one party to the other. Even when he was in All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, for eight years, he was working for the PDP. “Even APC started with him, and then he went back to PDP and we were happy. I am sure in the long run he would work for us. That is what I believe.” Ganduje also said the time has come for Nigeria to embrace state police.
“The situation we find ourselves, I think there is no better time we need the state police than now because the security at the moment requires intelligence information, it involves people who are conversant about the society, who are conversant with the tradition, who are conversant with the culture. “They are in a better position to assist in terms of surveillance, in terms of collecting information and in terms of being effective. So I think the idea of a state police is something that we need to pursue.” The governor appraised the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying the government has not done badly.
He said: “We in Kano State gave the president the highest votes in the federation and we make it a point of duty to work closely with him on his policies that would put Nigeria on the right track, especially pertaining to the three issues that he mentioned during the campaign. We are aligned to that. “First the security issue of the country. We are committed to the protection of lives and properties of the citizenry in Kano State. Secondly is the issue of stamping out corruption. That is vital if we must move forward. Thirdly is the economy and that is why we are diversifying our economy.
And we urge Nigerians to give Mr. President a helping hand in order to achieve these three objectives which are beneficial to Nigerians.” Similarly, APC national secretary, Mai Mala Buni, while reacting to Sheriff ’s comment said: “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.” He said APC is reluctant to join issues with Modu Sheriff ’s idle 2019 postulations and would rather join issues that will bring about all-inclusive development in the country. “However, APC and indeed Nigerians seriously hope the touted ‘master plan’ includes how the PDP and its cronies will return public funds stolen under the party’s watch for 16 years. “Nigerians are aware that the current economic hardship and institutional rot was caused by PDP’s 16- year misrule and pillage. “President Muhammadu Buhari has been working assiduously to correct the PDP’s years of damage and bring about people-centric governance. “It is baffling how the PDP expects Nigerians to abandon APC’s smooth sailing ship for a sinking and received some complaints from aggrieved Nigerians over the sack, but noted that the complaints were currently being looked into.
He said: “Do you reverse government decisions simply because somebody has criticised them? I don’t think that it is all government decisions that go down well with everyone in the country. “The ministry has received some representation from people who feel aggrieved because their tenure has not expired and we are looking at it.” Adamu further wrote off threats by some civil society organisations to challenge the recent sack in the law courts, especially the sack of five out of the 13 VCs, whose tenures were yet to elapse.
When asked specifically on the expected court cases that would arise from their sack, he simply said: “They have already written to us rudderless PDP ship, come 2019. “The 2015 elections has been won and lost. The priority of the present APC administration is to deliver on election promises made by the party to Nigerians who long-desired change of political leadership at the federal level and in many states,” he said. Meanwhile, PDP governors have called on members to support Modu Sheriff. The governors said the choice of Modu Sheriff was in the best interest of the PDP, stressing that he is to complete the tenure of the north east as specified by the party’s constitution and organise a national convention for the election of substantive officers. In a statement signed by Mr. Osaro Onaiwu, coordinator of the PDP Governors’ Forum, they argued that while it was normal for dissent in a large and national party, members should not lose sight of the bigger picture which is to re-strategise ahead of 2019 and other coming elections in Edo and Ondo states in 2016.
“It has come to our notice that some members of our great party have expressed their reservations on the emergence of the new National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff. “As is expected, not everybody can be on the same page in such matters even though of the same party. We wish to appeal to our members to keep the bigger picture in mind, which is to reposition ahead of 2019 with individuals that have the track record in power play.
“It is in this regard that our esteemed members should think carefully before joining the crowd of those baying ‘death to the PDP.’ “As a national party, it is important that every matter is looked at from all sides and not just the negative narrative of the opposition party. “None of our leaders have been arraigned for unlike some leaders of the ruling party; it is this we should take clear cognisance of. “There is no way the international community will not, at least, have an idea of those who have aided and funded Boko Haram.
“For our party to make the expected headway, we must remain united, discuss our disagreements as a family and refrain from joining those whose desire is to see that the party’s resurgence never happens,” Onaiwu said.
The party has also clarified that Modu Sheriff is the substantive and not acting national chairman as being erroneously rendered by a section of the media. In a statement, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh said Sheriff ’s appointment by the National Executive Committee, NEC, was to replace Dr. Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, who resigned as national chairman, is in line with section 47(6) of the party’s constitution, which empowers NEC to fill a vacant position with a person from the zone where the officer originated from. – National Mirror.
