Nigeria’s Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied reports that he endorsed
Ali Modu Sheriff as the National Chairman of PDP. Sheriff paid the
former president a visit two days ago, causing speculations that the
former president is in support of Sheriff’s leadership.
Various media houses even reported that Jonathan had openly declared his support for the leadership of Sheriff.
However in a swift reaction, Jonathan yesterday issued a statement denying this claim.
The statement signed by his media adviser, Ikechukwu Eze reads
“The issue of endorsement never came up in the course of the visit, not
at the closed door session with Sheriff nor during the former
President’s interview with newsmen”.According to Eze, Jonathan never referred to Sheriff as the party’s
chairman during the visit but only addressed Sheriff as “my chairman”The statement reads in part “Indeed, it may interest you to know that
after meeting with Sheriff, the former President also met with Senator
Ahmed Makarfi, leader of the PDP Caretaker Committee, and the party’s
Board of Trustees chairman, Senator Walid Jubril, later in the evening. I
wish to let those spinning this falsehood know that it just doesn’t add
up to fly a contrived banner of endorsement in one breath, and in
another, concede that the former President explained his commitment in
meeting with different interest groups, towards resolving the
differences in the party. For the avoidance of doubt, the following are
the former President’s exact words during the interview with newsmen, as
had accurately been reported by most online and major national
newspapers, as well as broadcast organisations”.
The statement quoted Jonathan’s words after meeting with Sheriff “We
(PDP) are not factionalised. We are one. We are solving our problems.
There are bound to be differences in politics. It is the way we resolve
these differences that make us human beings and that is what makes us
leaders. I have met with Sheriff. And I have met with others. I will
still meet with others, so that we will be able to do what is expected
of us as a political party”.