By Ehi Ekhator

The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh has reacted to the grumbles by some members of the party concerning the decision to select Ali Modu Sheriff as its National Chairman.

While speaking with NAIJA CENTER NEWS on Sunday, Chief Metuh disclosed that PDP members didn't expect Sheriff as the party Chairman since he didn't signify interest in the position.

He said that he believes in the new chairman judging from his experiences in politics.

Metuh took a swipe on the opposition members who decided to make this about them and Boko Haram, wondering how come Sheriff was not a member of the terrorist group, as alleged by some, when he was a member of the All Progressives Congress.

Metuh said "I think the choice of Ali Modu Sheriff was unexpected by some of our party people, and the first reaction we are seeing is the shock of surprise to the emergence being that he never declared interest in the contest. It is expected that people are a bit surprised at the turn of event.

"Haven’t said that, the basic thing is that the NEC committee has done its job. The constitution says a person will be elected from the North East zone, we have done that and everything was followed.

"The chairman has started well by saying he is going to reach out to other people in terms of reconciliation. He is starting well by saying he is going to look inward to make the party strong. Let the party members and the organs be much more united than they have ever been. These are good signs to mean that, because it is only when you are strong that you can get ready to face the competition outside.

Explaining why Sheriff selection is very important to the progress of the party, Metuh said " We didn’t lose the election because our rivals brought something new. They didn’t bring something new, they didn’t bring a new candidate, a new set of people, they brought people with a lot of experience, and they brought a candidate who has lost election for four times.

"What is needed now is practical politics. In terms of practicality, is he going to be effective, useful to the party? We ask that our members give the chairman time to settle down and bring out his own program for the party. He comes very experienced; he comes with a lot of political benefit and goodwill. He is a grass root politician. House of reps, three times elected senator, two times elected governor and wide network of contacts. Let us see how it goes.

"Alimodu Sheriff is not going to be the sole administrator of the party. He is going to be a national chairman with eleven other members of the National Working Committee. The NWC is going to work in hand with the Governor’s Forum, PDP leaders in the National Assembly, the Board of Trustee and other people to make sure we move this party ahead.

"Since we lost the election, we have done very well. We have won majority of the elections that was held since May 29. It means the leadership of the party is working well and Ali Modu Sheriff is joining that winning leadership of the party with his own experience, benefit and quality and together we will continue to build on it and make sure the party is built to face the challenges ahead"

Modu Sheriff selection has brought more gap between members of the opposition as many accused him of having links with the dreaded terrorist group, Boko Haram.

It was gathered that some members of the party are already withdrawing their memberships while the Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko who is the Chairman of the PDP Governor Forum, has intervened by inviting ex-ministers of the former President, Goodluck Jonathan for a discussion.

A video also emerged on the social media where Goodluck JOnathan described Modu Sheriff as a friend of Boko Haram.

Explaining to NAIJA CENTER NEWS, the National Publicity Secretary quoted a statement credited to the new party Chairman that he is not a friend but an enemy to the terrorist group.

Metuh said Sheriff was the APC Chairman Board of Trustee and he led ANPP into joining forces with other parties that brought about APC, and then he was not a member of the sect.

He questioned the sincerity in the sudden realization that the new chairman is a member of the terrorist group whereas two weeks ago, the APC was celebrating his planned defection both on social and print media.

"What i can tell you is that the national chairman has made a statement on Tuesday in an interview where he disclosed that he never had any contact or accepted them; he reported them to the police several times. He is actually their enemy in the sense that they killed his blood brother, killed the state chairman of his party, killed the gubernatorial candidate of his party in 2011, and there was a time that Boko Haram outlawed him and chased him out of Borno.

"There is a point that he made that is very important. He said nobody called him Boko Haram when he was in APC as chairman of the Board of Trustee, nobody called him Boko Haram when he led the ANPP into joining APC, nobody called him Boko Haram when they found APC and was working with them but the moment he came to PDP, they started saying he is Boko Haram, now as Chairman they tag him Boko Haram.

"But two weeks before he was nominated as National Chairman, there was a rumour that he was joining APC and he was being well celebrated in the social and print media by APC people. Suddenly, less than two weeks later, he emerges as National Chairman of PDP and they remembered he is Boko Haram. I can’t speak for him but he is saying categorically that he is being sponsored by the enemy of his politics.

Metuh assured that the choice of Sheriff will not bring more division, adding that the Chairman will add value to the party.

"I don’t think it will bring division. There will be no division, he has come to join the winning team, he has a lot of value to add and he is not a minor in any means." He said.

Read details here: http://www.naijacenter.com/politics/members-didnt-expect-sheriff-chairman-metuh-reveals/

Picture 1 - Olisa Metuh
Picture 2- Ehi Ekhator

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