PDP: Jonathan Didn’t Ask Me To Step Down – Sheriff
Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, PDP National Chairman [/caption]
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Ali Modu Sheriff said on Thursday that former President Goodluck Jonathan did not tell him to step down from his office when they met in Abuja last month.
Sheriff in a statement by the Acting National Secretary of the PDP, Bernard Mikko, was reacting to reports that the former President had asked Ahmed Makarfi and himself to resign in a view to restore peace back to the troubled party.
The on-going leadership crisis rocking the party was expected to be put to bed after last month’s court of appeal ruling in Port Harcourt, declaring Sheriff as the national chairman of the party.
According to Mikko, all parties and stakeholders had agreed not to appeal the outcome of the court of appeal judgement regardless of how it goes.
However, the Makarfi-led faction rejected the outcome, saying that the matter will be taken to the Supreme Court.
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The statement reads: “The general public, PDP members and the media are hereby informed that the issue of the national chairman’s resignation as the political solution has never been discussed nor was it put up for discussion with former President and other stakeholders.
“The general public; PDP members nationwide and the media are hereby informed that shortly before the Court of Appeal judgement of 17th February, 2017; all parties and stakeholders agreed that on the receipt of the court of appeal judgement whichever way it goes, members will be prevailed upon and urged to support the judgement and orders of the court of appeal and rally round the successful party to conduct as soon as possible a national unity convention for the election of officers, the modalities of which shall be worked out by all stakeholders of the party.
“As law abiding citizen and advocate of the rule of law, the national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff hereby calls on all stakeholders including but not limited to PDP governors; national and state assembly members; Board of Trustee members to make themselves available and give their input on how we can; as quickly as possible conduct a national unity convention; where our national officers will be elected. The national chairman has promised and undertaken not to contest.”
