FEBRUARY 20, 2017 – The factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff has said that the appeal court’s ruling in his favour is a victory for the party.
He said this yesterday when he visited the uphill mansion of former military president Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida in company with former governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu in Minna.
Babangida had earlier commended Sheriff for the way he handled his victory at the appeal court saying: “I am very happy with your statement after the court ruling, it shows that there is room for reconciliation and unity. There is the need to bring everybody back together to make the party a formidable opposition party.”
Speaking to journalists on the purpose of his visit after two hours of meeting behind closed doors, he said “IBB is our father, during our meeting he said he is happy with my statement after the court ruling. He told me to continue that way so that I can bring everybody back together to make the party a formidable opposition party.”
When asked if he had gotten across to Ahmed Makarfi, he said: “I have even called Makarfi himself. And I have called on everybody to come back so that we can work together.”
Also, former governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu said: “Now that we have a legal decision, which supports the position of the matter, even though other people are talking about going higher, to the Supreme Court, others are saying ‘No, we should start finding the solution-that we shouldn’t waste time on legality or illegality.”
Meanwhile, Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose and former minister of aviation Femi Fani-Kayode yesterday said they remained committed members of the PDP faction loyal to Makarfi.
Fayose said on a live programme tagged, ‘Meet Your Governor’ aired on the state owned Ekiti Television and Radio stations on Saturday: “We are not going anywhere. The matter has been appealed. In elections three things are important: party, candidate and people. We have the people. The power of the people is greater than the machinations of the people working against us.”
Fani-Kayode said those that say that they will work with Sheriff are misguided and naive. Anyone that calls for members of the PDP to rally behind him and recognise him as our national chairman is a simpleton and a fool.
According to the former presidential aide, “I say this because the man is evil: he is an agent of destruction and no good can come out of him. I was the first to see him for what he was and I said so publicly.”
