Sheriff tackles Shettima over proscription of PDP

Says its subtle campaign for one party state

The Senator Ali Modu Sheriff-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State to task over his remarks that the party should be proscribed.

Shettima who is the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum had in Makurdi, Benue State, called for PDP’s proscription because “the party is evil.”

The Governor who was in the company of two of his colleagues – Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State and Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state, did not elaborate but noted that if Buhari had not won the 2015 presidential election, Nigeria would have gone into extinction.

He ascribed the country’s predicaments to “PDP’s 16 years of bad governance.”

But Sheriff’s faction of PDP denounced the call arguing that such a call in a country with an enviable antecedent of multi-party democracy is antithetical to best practices in a democratic setting.

According to the acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bernard Mikko, PDP remains the most formidable opposition political organization in black Africa and that “any suggestion for its proscription is not only an apparent campaign for one party system, but also an apophasis for dictatorship in Nigeria.”

“We, therefore, call on the organized private sector, the civil society and lovers of democracy all over the world to condemn Governor Shettima’s suggestion as he may be flying a kite for the hawks in the ruling party to surreptitiously foist a one party system on Nigerians. The governor’s ignorance for our constitutional democracy should not be taken for granted,” he stated.

He said that the primary responsibility every government is to protect lives and property of citizens, provide housing, healthcare and basic education but noted that Shettima has failed to meet up these basic responsibilities of government to Borno people.

His words: “The governor rather than discharging his core mandate to the people of Borno, is more interested in politics of mischief. Borno state in the past two years has been raided over fifty times, while in July 2014 the governor himself admitted that over 176 school teachers have been killed and 900 schools destroyed, culminating into the kidnapping of over 250 Chibok schoolgirls by terrorists under his watch leading into an international outcry.”

“While the governor was on tour to some peace-loving States, two of his close associates (the local government Chairman of Mafa Local government Council and deputy chairman of Dama Local Government) are being held by security agents for allegedly habouring a notorious Boko Haram kingpin and fugitive of the Nigerian government. Curious Nigerians are worried that the ambush and killing of top military officers in the theatre of military operation in Borno state may have been facilitated by some strategic insiders working as double agents,” he asserted.

The party called on Nigerians to remain vigilant as the country enters another phase of struggle “against hypocrites who have turned constitutional immunity into impunity, brigandage and license to irresponsibility.”

Meanwhile, the zonal vice chairman South South of the Ahmed Makarfi-led PDP, Mr. Emmanuel Ogidi enjoined the Sheriff faction to desist from doing anything contrary to the party’s Constitution as amended in 2012.

Citing Section 8(8b)(9) of the PDP Constitution, he said it is their sacred document and as such every party member should toe the line of due process and avoid obnoxious acts that could be counterproductive to the party.

In particular, Ogidi urged members of the Sheriff faction in Delta State to retrace their steps and return like the Biblical prodigal son who realized his wrongs.

“You are our brothers, repent from your destructive ways and return; we will accept you,” he stated claiming that the party is waxing strong by the day.