Kashamu not my godfather, says Sheriff

Embattled former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, yesterday denied ever having a political godfather in all his years in politics.

In particular, he said that contrary to insinuations in some quarters, there was no truth that Senator Kashamu Buruji was his current godfather. Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media, Inuwa Bwala, Modu-Sheriff who has continued to lay claim to the office of the PDP National Chairman despite a court judgment to the contrary, said that the news of Senator Kashamu being his godfather was a deliberate smear campaign that would achieve nothing tangible.

“While it remains obvious that the said report was part of the mischief and orchestrated smear campaigns embarked upon by some people, against the National Chairman, we wish to state for the avoidance of doubt that, he has no godfather in politics and Senator Buruji Kashamu could not be have been one,” Bwala said in a statement

According to him, while Sheriff was committed to putting the party back on sound footing, detractors were busy spreading false claims aimed at tarnishing his image.

“It is becoming clearer that, the PDP National Chairman’s critics have run out of ideas on how to achieve their selfish agenda, hence the resort to blackmail and blatant falsehood in order to distract Sheriff from manifesting his capacity to reposition the PDP.

“We must state that it was most uncharitable for anybody to imply that Senator Kashamu, who, like every stakeholder in the PDP, is highly respected, and who makes inputs towards the progress of the PDP, is Senator Sheriff’s godfather, as nothing could be further from the truth.

The media aide noted that of their common belief in ideas that would best suit the interest of the progress of PDP; there was a common ground to relate as was with all stakeholders who believed in the good of PDP.

Said he: “As members of the same party, and as people who believe in the progress of the PDP, there exists mutual understanding between the National Chairman and all stakeholders who identify with his cause in this challenging period, including Senator Buruji Kashamu.”

Besides, Bwala asserted that Senator Sheriff has grown beyond the level of a man to have someone of Senator Kashamu’s clout as his political godfather as he does not need him (Kashamu) to survive politically.

“With a very long history of political activities behind him, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has an intimidating political credential and does not need a godfather to survive, as such, those bandying such mischief can neither succeed in distracting him from moving forward, nay pitch him against party members who identify with him” the statement added.