Ali Modu Sheriff, a former factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, seems to be prevented by some forces within the All Progressives Congress, APC, from officially rejoining the ruling party.
There have been moves in the past by the former Senator to join APC, but were resisted by some interests within the party, however, the big fish was told by the ruling party to approach his ward if he truly intends to rejoin its fold.
There were reports on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, that the former Governor of Borno State and PDP factional National Chairman will visit the National Secretariat of the APC on Thursday, April 26, 2018, with his supporters, a claim confirmed by the publicity department of the party.
The invitation message received from the party by journalists reads: “The former Factional Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff accompanied by his supporters will be at the All Progressives Congress National Secretarial on Thursday, April 26, 2018, by 12noon”.
Reacting to Modu Sheriff’s visit to the party secretariat in a statement signed Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Abuja by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abudullahi, the party said intending member like the former governor should go to his ward.
“Our attention has been drawn to reports in some sections of the media that the former factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff plans to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC on Thursday, April 26, 2018, at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
“While we are aware of such intentions, we wish to restate our earlier position that anyone who wants to join the Party should do so at the ward level. We are happy to welcome new members to our party, but membership cards are not issued at the Party National Secretariat,” the statement stated.
Sheriff, a founding member of APC had left the party because of the “cold shoulder” he got at the party’s national convention in 2014.
His sojourn in the PDP was also dogged by controversies as he struggled for the position of national chairman with former Kaduna state governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi until the Supreme Court declared his claim illegal and pronounced Senator Makarfi the authentic PDP National Chairman.
Reacting to the development in a statement in Abuja, Borno state APC chairman, Hon. Ali Bukar Dolori, described the purported defection at the national secretariat by Sen. Sheriff as rumor.
“We have read news on the Social Media on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, evening and in some National dailies this morning, that the former Governor of our State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff will be received by our National Chairman today at the Headquarters of our great Party”.
“I want to assure you that the news remains rumour because somebody is only trying to fly a kite, that is capable of causing dangerous confusion during the State Congresses in Borno State. “We are aware of that well-articulated plan and we are ready to defend any attempt towards destroying our Party APC at any level and in any State, not just Borno.
We shall conduct our congresses peacefully without any rancor and I assure you nobody can create any faction for our Party in Borno state during the Congresses expected in less than two weeks.”
While citing party constitution provisions guiding how a person can join the APC, Dolori, said “Subsection ii; Application for membership shall be made to and cleared by the Ward Executives of the party in the Local Government Area where the person was born, resides, works or originates.
“Online registration shall also be acceptable provided that it is cleared by the National Working Committee of the Party. “Subsection
iii; Where an application is refused, the applicant may as of right appeal to the Local Government Area Executive Committee of the Party or to the National Secretary or National Chairman, in case of online registration. “So, Ladies and gentlemen of the press, I don’t see anyhow, the National Chairman can receive any person into the Party when the constitution is clear about the process in that regard.”
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