A group of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members christened Restart PDP Project has accused members of the Board of Trustees, BOT, of corruption over
their sudden approval and support of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as Chairman of the Party.
The group said the swift change of heart of members of the BOT, smacks of corruption and impunity which has been the bane of the party.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Jackson Ude and signed by its Conveners, Engineer Emmanuel Nwosu Butches and Hon. Denis Ukpabio, the group gave Senator Sheriff a one month ultimatum within which to relinquish power or face dare consequences.
The group wondered how within the space of eight hours after a decision to reject the appointment of Sheriff, the BOT swiftly had a change of heart, endorsing the selection of the former Borno State Governor as Chairman of the Party.
The group noted that such impunity, corruption and wanton disregard of the overall interest of the Party can no longer be tolerated.
The statement from the group notes:
After our meeting held in Abuja today to assess the leadership challenges within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Restart PDP, a nascent group within the Party, with memberships in all the 36 states and the FCT, agreed as follows
- We condemn in the strongest term, the decision and summersault and volte face of the Senator Walid Jibrin’s BOT decision to back Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as Chairman of the PDP. It is unfortunate that such high level of party leaders who represent the conscience of the Party could be swayed over a plate of porridge offered to them by a serial decampee who has no reputation to lead our great party. They have mortgaged their conscience on Sheriff’s few Naira!
- The action of Senator Jibril and his lackey in the BOT is unbridled with high dose of impunity, imposition, corruption, wanton disregard for the overall interest of the party. The decision of the BOT is at best nauseating.
- It is on record that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff remains a serial defector and his continuous membership and Chairmanship of the PDP will make the party remain a dumping ground of political rejects.
- Senator Sheriff has brought his backlog of corruption and political brigandage to the Party and openly threatened a member of the party. He is not known to be a democrat. He is simply a political passerby in PDP whose credentials reeks of bad odor that will pollute the fresh air needed to revive the political fortunes of PDP.
- For openly threatening Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, Senator Sheriff has demonstrated his undemocratic characteristics of intolerance to political opinion. Such behavior is alien to the PDP founders and its members worldwide and must not be accepted.
- The character and personality needed for a Chairman of PDP must be unimpeachable, humane, broadminded and acceptable. Senator Sheriff is not an acceptable leader for the PDP and any attempt to continue to foist him on the Party will spell doom. He must not stay one minute more than March 31, 2016 midnight. If he dares imbibe the evil spirit of tenure elongation, he must be ready to bear the consequences of such unconstitutional action. The consequences of such, which we are keeping close to our chest will be grave. He must quit come March 31, 2016. He must march away with March!
- We commend all members and caucuses especially the members of the PDP Ministers who have shown leadership, commitment and dedication to reviving our great party. We commend those who have shown genuine sincerity and commitment to the cause of the genuine reform of the Party. We commend those who have genuinely stood against and remained unwavering in their condemnation and rejection of the imposition of Senator Sheriff.
- While we await and expect Senator Sheriff to do the needful come March 31, 2016, we equally expect members of the National Working Committee, NWC, who are gradually emerging emperors in Wadata House, to honorably leave the party by March 31, 2016. We will use all weapons within our disposal to make their continuous stay unbearable if they fail to toe the path of honor by quitting!
Leaders of the group who attended the emergency meeting includes: Eng. Emmanuel Nwosu Butches, Convener, Hon. Dennis Ukpabio, Co-Convener, Chief Jackson Ude, National Publicity Secretary, Galadimawa Ibrahim, Leader, Mrs. Adebayo Adeyinka and Chief Chuks Eze.