Sheriff
The
leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new
twist yesterday. National Chairman Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff threatened to
drag a former Information Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana, before the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Sheriff alleged that Gana took a N500
million loan from a second generation bank on behalf of the PDP, without
approval from the leadership of the party. The party chairman, however,
did not state the time Gana allegedly obtained the loan.
Addressing reporters at the party’s
national secretariat in Abuja yesterday, Media Adviser to the party
chairman Mr. Inuwa Bwala said Gana lacked the credibility to criticise
Sheriff.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum
earlier in the day, Gana said the PDP had been hijacked by hoodlums and
gangsters, who want to destroy the party.
He accused the Sheriff-led National
Working Committee (NWC) of impunity and reckless imposition of
candidates in the ward and state congresses.
Gana said: “The Southwest geopolitical zone has never produced the national chairman in the 16 years of existence of the PDP”.
Gana, leading other prominent members of
the party, described the planned amendment to the PDP constitution,
championed by Sheriff, as illegal and insisted that the national
convention slated for May 21 be put on hold.
But Sheriff vowed to go ahead with the amendment of the constitution and national convention.
Said he: “The national convention will certainly hold in Port Harcourt on May 21 if the world does not end before that date.
“The group, headed by Prof. Gana and
similar others, are not known to the party. They should take their
grievances to the convention, if they have any. If they choose to leave
the PDP, it would be good riddance.
“Let it be known to Prof. Gana and
members of his group that they don’t have the monopoly of mudslinging.
If we are forced to open up on them, we will not hesitate to do so”.
Sheriff accused Gana and members of his
group of having approached him for one favour or the other, only to turn
around to attack the chairman when they failed to have their way.
In a communiqué at the end of the
Gana-led stakeholders’ forum, the group announced a 21-member steering
committee to run the affairs of the party and work with the Board of
Trustees to conduct the national convention.
The communiqué said: “We enjoin our
party faithful not to despair. The new steering committee will embark on
a nationwide tour, to address and resolve issues and areas of conflict
in every state.”
The communiqué was signed by a former
Education Minister, Prof. Tunde Adeniran; a former Deputy Senate
President, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu; and Chief Raymond Dokpesi.
Those that attended the meeting included
Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Bode George, Wilberforce
Juta, Dr. Shettima Mustapha, Senator Bala Mohammed, Ibrahim Bunu,
Senator Grace Bent, Adamu Maina Waziri, among others.
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike
blasted the Prof. Gana-led founding members of the PDP, describing them
as unpopular in their areas, but issuing threats and attempting to cause
confusion in the opposition party.
Wike spoke while addressing the National
Convention Planning Committee at the Government House, Port
Harcourt, on Wednesday night.
He said: “Anybody who loves this party,
knows that this is the time to make sacrifices. We are rebuilding this
party and we need to work together in unity to succeed.
“It is important that we work as a
team, as that is the only way for us to achieve set goals. Only those
with hidden agenda will work against the party.”
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