PDP Chair: Sheriff Intensifies Lobby As Southwest Group Threatens Defection

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PDP Chair: Sheriff Intensifies Lobby As Southwest Group Threatens Defection

Overwhelmed by opposition to his candidacy, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, yesterday met with the former Chairman of Northern Governors Forum, ex-Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, according to the Nation

He urged Aliyu to prevail on some party leaders to take it easy on the opposition to his candidacy.

The embattled PDP leader was shocked that the opposition against his return to office is more pronounced in the North. Sheriff arrived at Aliyu’s Mandara Close, Aso Drive Abuja home at about 6.01pm and left before 7pm.

He came in the company of a senator and three associates and thereafter entered into the inner recess of the mansion for a meeting with the ex-governor.

A top source, who was privy to the meeting, said: “Sheriff actually came to solicit for support from Aliyu and his group for his return as the PDP leader.

“He assured the former governor that he is seeking the mandate to reorganise the PDP before the next election in order to defeat the All Progressives Congress(APC).

“Sheriff is no doubt under pressure because of the gang-up against his desire to return to office on May 21. Most leaders of PDP from the North cannot understand why Sheriff will want to be National Chairman at a time the zone is seeking the party’s 2019 presidential ticket.

“They see his ambition to lead the party as a spoiler’s game which will not help the North.”

A member of the National Working Committee (NWC) said: “The fear of Sheriff’s candidacy is about his alleged presidential aspiration. Some PDP leaders are suspecting that Sheriff might transmute from party leadership to presidential candidacy.

“Others see his desire to retain his seat beyond May 21 as a gross violation of the PDP zoning formula. If Bamanga Tukur and Adamu Muazu from the Northeast have led PDP in the last three to four years, what is the rationale in giving the slot to another candidate from the Northeast?

“Going by our zoning policy, it is the turn of the South to produce the next national chairman of PDP. If Sheriff re-emerges, it might lead to the disintegration of PDP because many leaders will leave the party.”