Court recognized national chairman of the embattled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff and former President Goodluck Jonathan clashed today, Thursday at a peace meeting convened by Jonathan.
Modu Sheriff, apparently angry with the former President over the way he handled the meeting, which was had about four PDP governors in attendance, including the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin and other notable chieftains, stormed out of the venue of the meeting.
Modu Sheriff had earlier arrived at the Yar‘Adua Centre, venue of the meeting long after Jonathan, the governors and other prominent party chiefs had settled down and insisted that as the most senior member of the party, it was him (Sheriff) that should have convened such meeting.
Modu Sheriff further infuriated when ex President Jonathan denied him the opportunity to address the meeting in his capacity as the national chairman of the party.
Speaking to news men shortly after he stormed out of the meeting with his team, Modu Sheriff said that he would not be party to any arrangement that seemed to deviate from the recommendation of the Dickson committee.
“We were here for PDP stakeholders’ meeting and the PDP has only one national chairman, which is Ali Modu-Sheriff. There is no PDP meeting that will take place under whatever arrangement that I will not open the session as national chairman. Today, I am the most senior member of this party.
“I think Governor Dickson made a proposal for reconciliation. And we have accepted. Some people want to deviate from this programme, to bring agenda which was not part of it.
“And as national chairman of the party, what I have told you people in my office when Dickson brought the report is the only thing that we have agreed at this moment. And I will not be party for anybody using me to do another programme. I’m not going to be part of it.”
According to him, Jonathan should not have called the meeting without consulting him.
“Well, I respect him but calling for the meeting. He is a former President. But as of today, I am the most senior member of the party.
“Therefore, if I respect him, the respect must be reciprocated. You can’t call me for a meeting of PDP and say I cannot address the meeting as national chairman of the party.” [myad]
