THERE is no doubt that before now, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was a political household personality in the politics of Borno State and the country at large. Having tremendous wealth at his disposal as a businessman, Sheriff joined the murky waters of the country’s politics with some measure of influence.

Before 1999, he was elected senator representing Borno Central on the platform of United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) during the ill-fated transition programme of General Sani Abacha’s regime.

With the return of the democratic process in 1999, he was again elected senator representing Borno Central on the platform of All Peoples Party (APP), which later metamorphosed to All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP). In 2003, he was elected the governor of Borno State on ANPP platform. He served for two terms, making history as the first governor of the state to serve two terms in office. He was instrumental to the emergence of his successor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima.

He was a key player in the internal crisis that rocked the ANPP during the leadership of Chief Don Etiebet. Under the leadership of Chief Edwin Umezuoke in ANPP, he was appointed Chairman, Board Of Trustees (BoT) of the party.

Sheriff was among key party stakeholders that worked assiduously for the merger of different political parties that culminated in the formation of opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of 2015 general elections.

Immediately after the APC’s mini-convention where Chief John Odigie- Oyegun emerged the national chairman as against Chief Tom Ikimi, the preferred choice of Sheriff and others, Ikimi, Sheriff, and others defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). His defection generated a lot of controversy and mixed reactions among political stakeholders.

On arrival at the Maiduguri International airport, which was specifically opened for him then by the PDP-led federal government, Sheriff received a heroic and rousing welcome from his supporters, and party faithful.

Speaking on his defection, he said, “Many of you here today will be asking why I defected from APC to the PDP, having served two terms as governor on the platforms of defunct APP and ANPP. The answer is simple and straight forward, because Borno State is the least developed in the north, as it has been in the opposition for over two decades.

“The security challenges we are facing today, that has claimed many lives and property, including my brothers and uncles, cannot be overcome in an opposition political party like APC that I have just defected from into this ruling party. Opposition in the country has never taken out affected states from their abject poverty and dearth or absence of federal presence.

“Whether you like or not, I am ready to lead my people and join hands to effect a democratically elected government in this state on the platform of PDP. This is the right time for the people to effect change by voting out the ruling APC during the governorship election slated for February 28.”

But unfortunately for him and his supporters, APC won the Presidency, the State and majority of the seats in the State and National Assembly.

Sheriff’s Emergence As PDP Chairman
WITH the leadership crisis that erupted in the PDP, following the court judgment that sacked Uche Secondus as acting chairman, many prominent party members from Northeast zone were touted as Secondus’ possible replacement. Prominently missing on the list was Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

But to the surprise of many, including party members, the state governors and members of National Working Committee (NWC), recently announced Sheriff as the new party helmsman. Since then, Sheriff has been talking tough, promising to dislodge APC in 2019, while mixed reactions, criticisms and commendations have continued to trail his emergence.

While some see it as a good omen for the party, considering his political grassroots support in the North, others believe that his alleged controversial antecedent is not good for a party that is in search of leadership.

It was disclosed that Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike were majorly behind his emergence with the support of loyalists of former President Goodluck Jonathan. It was alleged that their choice of Sheriff was to ensure that they influence the outcome of the party’s forthcoming convention, where new leaders will emerge.

Chief Ebenezer Babatope, a member of the party’s (BoT) told The Guardian that the BoT members overwhelmingly rejected Sheriff’s choice, but the governors and NWC members insisted.

“Well, we are watching to see how things will unfold. We are very surprised with his sudden choice.”

Challenges Before Sheriff
MANY party faithful believe that the greatest challenge before Sheriff is how to reconcile the party members, which his emergence has created division among.

Having played opposition party for long, it is expected that he should deploy his wealth of experience to reposition the PDP especially in the North within the short period he will be in the saddle.

A foundation member of the party, and its pioneer chairman in Anambra State, Mr. Guy Ikoku told The Guardian yesterday that he was not only surprised with the emergence of Sheriff, but how the party has been destroyed by the leadership since after the 2015 elections.

Ikoku said: “We founded PDP with a clear purpose, but it seems that everything good about the party has been rubbished by poor leadership. Some of us don’t even know what is happening in the party. It expected that all organs of the party would be on the same page in the choice of the new helmsman at this critical point. The discordant tunes trailing Sheriff’s choice is a big minus for the party.

“Why were the governors in a hurry to choose Sheriff? Why not consult widely before deciding? I hope at the end of the day Sheriff will not be involved in the Dasukigate. My fear is that this development will create more division in the party. The party is yet to recover from the mass defection that has hit it in recent times.

“Sheriff has a lot of work to do in the party, prominent among them is genuine reconciliation at all levels. Peace has eluded the party for so long even when it was in power at the centre. It was part of the things that cost the party the presidency during the last general elections.’

Speaking on the challenges before Sheriff, a university don and political scientist, Prof. Sylvanus Ikwere said that every leadership goes with challenges and Sheriff’s own is not an exception.

Ikwere said: “Sheriff is lucky to have emerged the party chairman after the election victories of the PDP governors at the Supreme Court. Had it been the PDP governors lost their cases at Apex Court that would have been the end of the party, a development that would have been dangerous for the country’s democracy. With 12 States in their kitty, Sheriff led- leadership of the PDP can comfortably grow and reposition the party as a virile opposition ahead of 2019.

“Apart from reconciling the party members, the new party leadership should also woo the already aggrieved credible opposition members. There are many of them in the APC who are bidding their time because of unfolding events in the party and government that are not going down with them.”

On how the new party leadership should handle the overgrowing influence of governors in the party, Ikwere said that it is not an issue now because the new leadership needs the support and co-operation of the governors more than any other group.

“PDP is not in control of the Presidency now and the party needs funding to grow and compete. It is only the state governors that have such financial muscles. The party leadership should support their governors and ensure that none of them defects to the ruling APC. There are obvious signs that many of them might defect to the APC before 2019. The leadership should do everything possible to retain them in the party.

When asked his views on the alleged moral bankruptcy of Sheriff, Ikwere said that every Nigerian politician has his own baggage, stressing that nobody has proved any allegation against Sheriff.

“If anybody has anything against Sheriff, such person should approach court with evidence. Sheriff has paid his dues politically in this country. He is no pushover. That is why some people seem to be rattled by his emergence as PDP chairman”

A former national chairman of the party from the Southeast zone told The Guardian yesterday that he has lost interest in the affairs of the party because of the ways things are being done.

“The governors have started destroying the party again. They have imposed a chairman without due consultation. When I tried to reform the party, it was the governors that fought my leadership to standstill. Today, the same state governors are at it again. Let see how they can go with the party before 2019.”