The Borno State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has
accused sacked National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
Ali Modu Sheriff of impersonating the North East Vice Chairman of the
party.
The state chapter of the party made the allegation while reacting
to reports of Sheriff claiming to be the North East Vice Chairman of the
party.
In a statement by the State publicity secretary of the APC, Makinta
Zarami, on Wednesday, the party described Sheriff as a “disgrace” who
boasted to be in the same class with the National Chairman of APC, Bola
Tinubu, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu and Atiku Abubakar.
The statement sent to DAILY POST said Sheriff was also behind
reports previously published by a section of the media claiming he was
being lobbied by the APC to return to its fold after his sack by the
Supreme Court from being National Chairman of the PDP.
The Borno APC said while it had earlier maintained a dignified silence, the party has decided to speak, “now that there new twist concerning impersonation of an APC office”.
The statement reads, ”As it must have been observed, some
media promoters of Ali Modu Sheriff have been using the social media to
share an online story claiming that the APC National Secretariat has
appointed Sheriff as the new leader of the APC in the northeast.
“We consider this a clear case of impersonation, because as
everyone knows, the APC has an existing National Vice Chairman for the
northeast otherwise called zonal vice chairman who replaced Babachir
David Lawal after the office became vacant following Lawal’s appointment
as SGF in 2015.
“It is disgraceful to note that whereas Sheriff has always
boasted of being in the same category with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, Atiku Abubakar and their likes who are National
leaders of the APC, he has resorted to impersonating the office of the
northeast zonal vice chairman, all in his desperation to seek political
relevance after successfully creating crisis in the PDP. The same
Sheriff has been responsible for all media reports saying he was being
lobbied by APC leaders. He is just doing everything to seek relevance.
“However, it should be placed on record that the Borno APC is
not afraid of Sheriff’s coming because he is currently standing alone.
As can be attested to, most of Sheriff’s most notable political
associates like Alhaji Mala Othman who had been with him for over 30
years, his personal assistant, his spokesman and other long standing
friends have all left him and joined the APC before and immediately
after the 2015 elections. Sheriff is a like a heardsman without cattle
as such his coming will be of no effect.
“There is virtually no one in Borno politics who has not had a
terrible experience with Sheriff in the past, hence he is not knew to
anyone in Borno. The APC he left is different today, if he is to return,
he will not be able to hijack the APC structure even in his own ward
not to talk of Borno State or the northeast.
“The APC is not afraid of him, rather the party’s concern is
about the impersonation and false information that is capable of
confusing some party supporters in addition to bringing the party’s
reputation under public ridicule.”