erunz:
nice one and welcome back Home.

EastanPower:
@Tonyebarcanista, are you no longer in APC
I don't understand you at all. Anyways, I am surprised that PDP will settle for Sherif as party chairman.

nickxtra:
Modu Sheriff simply does not have the charisma to lead a waning political party as PDP

CuteInBlack:
@Tonye, you did well but no matter how appealing you try to make this appointment look, I think it was miscalculated by the PDP hierarchy.

SAS is too controversial; a local champ and he does not command so much followership. Except, of course, this is a case of the more you look the less you see. What really is the PDP up to?

amaechi1:
Your conclusion would have, "Dear reader, I hope I have being able to convince you not confuse you that PDP has finally told whole world that Boko Haram is PDP, PDP is Boko Haram - Late Azizi"

tuniski:
what followership is Oyegun of APC commanding?

Btw Ribadu and Sheriff, sheriff is a political heavyweight than Ribadu. The controversy being generated is a clear sign that pdp got it spot on! In politics u must have a face and Reputation. Controversy is hit!
PDP needs a tested political gladiator not a Mr clean to rebirth and challenge the apc. Political arena is not for the faint hearted rather those who are ready to rumble! Welcome the Chairman CAS!!!!!

seunmsg:
PDP needs a leader that can rebrand and reposition the party ahead of 2019 general election. Considering the general perception that the party is made up majorly corrupt and greedy individuals, the choice of chairman should not be someone that comes with this hefty boko haram baggage.

TonyeBarcanista:
BH Sponsor as in how? You should at least show us how he's linked to sponsoring BH.

PS: I will never absolve anyone from BH activities when/if indicted, and I think we all should work with fact on ground and be fair to people

TonyeBarcanista:
The naming of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the former governor of Borno state as the PDP National Chairman and successor to Alhaji Adamu Muazu has generated a lot of controversy in the polity. A prominent member of this forum and staunch critic of PDP, who I consider my brother, friend, and big boss called me to mock the decision of the party. In all honesty, my reaction was more of wearing a sad face that I joined him in the mockery. Who would accept the fact that an "alleged Boko Haram founder" has been saddled with the task of navigating a party that is so engrossed in controversy and is in dire need of leadership? My initial displeasure wasn't hidden even towards some of my PDP comrades.

However, I made up my mind to thoroughly appreciate the man Modu Sheriff and to holistically look at issues that surround his tag as Boko-Haram "founder" to establish whether or not such a moral burden on him is justified.

Sheriff: A Boko Haram Sponsor or Victim of Blackmail?
The Belief...
Before now there is this belief that Ali Modu Sheriff in preparation to 2003 election against then incumbent Malla Kachalla entered into agreement with the Yusufyya BH movement. According to "belief", the Yusufiyya group would support Modu Sheriff's gubernatorial bid on condition that Sheriff's government(if elected) would implement Sharia rule in Borno state. It is also believed Sheriff's appointment of Haramite Alhaji Buji Foi, the National Secretary of Yusufyya Movement as commissioner for religious affairs was in furtherance of the "agreement".

The Facts...
As much as I would not want to draw myself into "defending" anybody associated with BH, I think it will be appropriate to lay this issue to bare. Facts on ground shows that sharia system was adopted in Borno state on August 18, 2000, the law was tagged 'Borno State Sharia Administration of Justice Law 2000'. It came just over a year after Sheriff's predecessor Bala Kachalla took office and almost three years before Sheriff took office. This fact ordinarily should nullify the rumour of purported agreement between Sheriff and Yusufiyya movement prior to 2003 election.
www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/887355.stm

It is even a fact that on adoption of Sharia system in Borno state in 2000, then Governor Bala Kachalla constituted Borno State Sharia Law Implementation Committee in February, 2001 headed by Professor Abubakar Mustapha, the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, with Boko Haram leader Muhammed Yusuf as a member of the committee. If there is anyone that Yusufyya would have supported in 2003 would have been Bala Kachalla, who flew the AD ticket for re-election but lost woefully to Sheriff. Why should Yusuf not support Kachalla when he not only approved Sharia system but also appointed Yusuf into Sharia Implementation Committee?

With respect to the appointment of Alhaji Buji Foi as commissioner of religious affairs, facts on ground showed that before his appointment as commissioner, Foi was Chairman of Kaga LGA(Borno state) under the administration of Bala Kachalla. It is not uncommon to see incumbent governors' appoint former LGA bosses into their cabinet. There is no record to show any public knowlege of Foi BH activity before his appointment. It is pertinent to note that Foi resigned from Sheriff's cabinet to join forces with the sect because the sect saw Sheriff's government as a number one enemy.

If indeed Sheriff was a "founder" of BH movement how come it was his predecessor in office that had direct link with Muhammed Yusuf and Buji Foi? How come it was his government that first declared BH as terrorist group in May 2010 even before the FG(2013), UK(2014) and USA(2014) declared the group as such? How come the group killed his brother Alhaji Goni Mustapha Sheriff, brother-inlaw Alhaji Awana Ngala, and ANPP Guber candidate for 2011 Engr, Modu Fannami Gubio? Who will kill his own paymaster? Why didn't the group help him win 2011 Senatorial election even when his party(ANPP) won the governorship poll, Presidential poll and two seats in the Senate in the said 2011 election?

When Did APC Realise That Sheriff Is a Baggage?
Sheriff has been a member of the opposition since 1998/9. After he left power in 2011, he was appointed BoT Chairman of ANPP, that has John Oyegun(now APC Chairman) as member and also Ogbonnaya Onu(now a minister) as chairman of the party(ANPP). As BoT Chairman of ANPP, he was instrumental to the merger of ANPP, ACN and faction of APGA that formed the APC. He was also a member of APC Board of Trustees between 2013 till he left the party. He wasn't kicked out of APC, he voluntarily resigned to pitch tent with the then ruling PDP. Now I beg to ask, when did APC realise that Sheriff was a baggage?

It is pertinent to note that prominent Borno politicians linked with BH members are members of APC including; late Senator Ahmed Zanna and Senator Ali Ndume. On October 8, 2012 the JTF spokesman Lt Col Sagir Musa released a statement to say that a BH commander Shuaibu Muhammed Bama was arrested in the house of Senator Ahmed Zanna(APC). Zanna only claim was that Bama was/is his nephew and he wasn't arrested in his house. In fact, DSS had to invite Zanna for "questioning". Despite this, the APC still went on to present Zanna for Senate in 2015(which he won but died before inauguration). Similarly, the APC still presented Sen Ali Ndume for Senate in 2015 despite the fact that he was indicted for divulging phone numbers of prominent Nigerians to BH sect and is presently under trial for terrorism charge. If APC could present these two indicted men for election, if they could massively campaign for them, how then are they crying over Sheriff's appointment as PDP boss?

On Sheriff's Appointment As PDP Boss:
As much as I am not too disposed to the former Borno state Governor, I still believe that it is unfair to base opinion on him due to prejudice instead of established fact. As a party loyalist and patriotic Nigerian, I owe it a responsibility to stand for just cause for Nigeria(where my ultimate loyalty lies) and PDP(that I'm aligned with). As such, I think party members should look beyond prejudice and support the new leadership under Senator Modu Sheriff. It is my prayer that the party under Sheriff carry everyone along, bring in the youth, and take the party to greater height.

Finally, is Sheriff the best man for PDP top job? Only time will tell. All I can say is "Welcome onboard Mr Chairman".





May God Bless Us All and Bless Nigeria

LRNZH:


[b]You miss my point.

1. Your whole article was based on the allegations that SAS (Sen. Ali Modu-Sheriff) is one of Boko Haram's founder which you couls easily disprove. That amounts to changing the narrative to an easier one to defend. I cahllenge you to put up another post defending why SAS is not a Boko Haram sponsor which is the real allegation on ground.

2. The allegations of sponsoring Boko Harm by SAS is nota new one. It is common folklore in the NE (which you OP probably have never been to), up to the point where the Australian negotiator with Boko Haram, Dr. Stephen Davies named SAS as one of the boko Haram sponsors.
https://www.naij.com/283220-australian-negotiator-insists-modu-sheriff-ihejirika-boko-haram-sponsors.html

One thing for sure is that there is no smoke without fire. If PDP is a party that has a sense of credibitlty or integrity they could not name a man with sucg a hefty baggage as part Chjairman, interim or niot.

My suspicion is that SAS has brought a large booty of funds to a party that is currently broke from not having access to governement funds under PMB and a hawk-eye EFCC. For PDP this is a means to survival.[/b]

PRYCE:
Now this is the Tonye I've always admired!

TonyeBarcanista:

1. When an accusation is made, the onus is on the accuser to prove the allegation and not the accused to prove otherwise. The accused will only respond to whatever is presented by the accuser and set record straight. I have looked at the whole thing and yet to see anywhere linking SAS.

Note that before now I was one of those that put up a straight face when the announcement was made. I know the importance of image.

2. Yes, Reverend Davies made allegation but again he's yet to tell us what links SAS. I implore APC government to revisit the allegation that was made on Arise TV.

3. PDP caucus have their reason behind Sheriff. Perhaps they want a "strongman" from the NE but whatever the reason is, only time will tell whether or not it is spot on. Beside was he lacking credibility when he was ANPP BoT Chairman?

Chigold101:
Tonyebarcanista
Your point is well written but how can a party in dire need of way forward appoint someone whom even members of his party distrust so much?
How would Ali Modu Sherrif convince ordinary Nigerians that he has no hand in BH?
Bros the truth is that PDP goofed BIG TIME by appointing him their chairman. ARE THERE NO MORE CREDIBLE SANE PEOPLE in PDP?
A man that is gasping for water does not acid to survive. If he does... U know what the result will be.
Bros stop “making“ his image, PDP under Ali Sherrif wont survive 2016.
I see 3new parties unless something happens before June in PDP.
ALI MODU SHERRIF IS A VERY WRONG CHOICE.

LRNZH:


[b]But you are addressing the wrong issue (or a non-issue). Founding Boko Haram is not the allegation. Sponsoring Boko Haram is the allegation.
With all due respect, your write-up is irrelevant to addressing, proving or disproving any allegation. It only serves to share your opinion (approval) on SAS selection as PDP Chairman and you are entitled to hold any opinion.

For the sake or prosperity, the allegation runs thus:

A group known as Borno Patriots was set up to campaign for Sheriff's arrest. The campaign against Sheriff intensified after he took part in negotiations to release an arms-filled Russian cargo plane in Kano.

Allegations that Sheriff had connections with Boko Haram surfaced in 2003, when, according to reports, he courted the terror group during his campaign for the post of governor of Borno State.
Sheriff allegedly courted Boko Haram for the mass appeal that they had in Borno and Yobe states, and for the militant, strong-arm tactics that the Islamists had to offer him to defend his influence.
Boko Haram in return received resources to buy weapons and were promised that a strict sharia law would be enforced in the state.
Sheriff eventually implemented sharia in Borno state after he came to power in 2003. But Boko Haram felt that it didn't go far enough.

So Boko haram existed before SAS approached them. Also, between Zanna and SAS lies the secrect of Boko Haram sponsorship.

Senator Ahmad Zanna, representing Borno Central, has said a Boko Haram commander, Shuaibu Bama, was arrested in the house of former governor Ali Modu Sheriff and not in his (Senator Zanna) house, contrary to the claim by the Joint Task Force, JTF.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/10/high-profile-boko-haram-member-arrested-in-ali-modu-sheriffs-house-zanna/

Please show us evidence of SAS being ANPP national BOT Chairman.

Like I stated NE "strongman" is due to monetary purposes. In Borno state, SAS is a persona non-grata with the masses:
SAS has been stoned severally in Maiduguri: http://www.osundefender.org/youths-stoned-modu-sheriffs-car-as-hundreds-of-soldiers-lead-him-into-maiduguri/

QED.[/b]

“At about 11 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012, a high profile Boko Haram commander, one Shuaibu Muhammed Bama, who has been on the list of wanted terrorists operating between Bama and Maiduguri, was arrested by the task force troops in a serving Senator’s house along Damboa Road, GRA, Maiduguri. He is in the custody of the JTF and assisting in the investigation and has since made startling revelations,” the statement, which was signed by its spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, said.

TonyeBarcanista:
The naming of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the former governor of Borno state as the PDP National Chairman and successor to Alhaji Adamu Muazu has generated a lot of controversy in the polity. A prominent member of this forum and staunch critic of PDP, who I consider my brother, friend, and big boss called me to mock the decision of the party. In all honesty, my reaction was more of wearing a sad face that I joined him in the mockery. Who would accept the fact that an "alleged Boko Haram founder" has been saddled with the task of navigating a party that is so engrossed in controversy and is in dire need of leadership? My initial displeasure wasn't hidden even towards some of my PDP comrades.

However, I made up my mind to thoroughly appreciate the man Modu Sheriff and to holistically look at issues that surround his tag as Boko-Haram "founder" to establish whether or not such a moral burden on him is justified.

Sheriff: A Boko Haram Sponsor or Victim of Blackmail?
The Belief...
Before now there is this belief that Ali Modu Sheriff in preparation to 2003 election against then incumbent Malla Kachalla entered into agreement with the Yusufyya BH movement. According to "belief", the Yusufiyya group would support Modu Sheriff's gubernatorial bid on condition that Sheriff's government(if elected) would implement Sharia rule in Borno state. It is also believed Sheriff's appointment of Haramite Alhaji Buji Foi, the National Secretary of Yusufyya Movement as commissioner for religious affairs was in furtherance of the "agreement".

The Facts...
As much as I would not want to draw myself into "defending" anybody associated with BH, I think it will be appropriate to lay this issue to bare. Facts on ground shows that sharia system was adopted in Borno state on August 18, 2000, the law was tagged 'Borno State Sharia Administration of Justice Law 2000'. It came just over a year after Sheriff's predecessor Bala Kachalla took office and almost three years before Sheriff took office. This fact ordinarily should nullify the rumour of purported agreement between Sheriff and Yusufiyya movement prior to 2003 election.
www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/887355.stm

It is even a fact that on adoption of Sharia system in Borno state in 2000, then Governor Bala Kachalla constituted Borno State Sharia Law Implementation Committee in February, 2001 headed by Professor Abubakar Mustapha, the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, with Boko Haram leader Muhammed Yusuf as a member of the committee. If there is anyone that Yusufyya would have supported in 2003 would have been Bala Kachalla, who flew the AD ticket for re-election but lost woefully to Sheriff. Why should Yusuf not support Kachalla when he not only approved Sharia system but also appointed Yusuf into Sharia Implementation Committee?


May God Bless Us All and Bless Nigeria

TonyeBarcanista:

Before now there was this perception of Buhari and Boko Haram . As long as politics is concerned there will always accusation and name-tagging. Only the truth and fact can neutralise it...


Is Sheriff a wrong person? Time will tell... As for new parties, I won't say much

temitemi1:
Let's wait n see what he can offer bt Sheriff as PDP chairman I swear my belle dey pain me.

Genius100:
PDP leadership don settle Barcanista