Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, will on Thursday rejoin the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The former governor of Borno state and three term senator, will return along with PDP’s 2015 gubernatorial candidate in Borno, Gambo Lawan.
National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Bolaji Abdullahi, confirmed to Daily Trust on Wednesday that Sheriff would be received formally into the party today. “The information I heard is that it will be on Thursday (today) at 12 pm and will take place in Abuja,” he said.
It was learned that Sheriff’s defection would have taken place on Wednesday but for the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting which lasted till evening.
Again, the National Chairman of the APC, John Odigie-Oyegun, who was billed to receive Sheriff, was also engaged in a meeting with APC governors over congresses and national convention of the party.
It was reliably gathered that Sheriff and Lawan recently met President Muhammadu Buhari after which he directed the leadership of the APC to accord special recognition to Sheriff and accept him into the party.
It was gathered that the President discussed many issues with the former Borno governor and at the end gave his nod for the defection.
He then directed Odigie-Oyegun and other leaders, including the National Secretary of the party, Maimala Buni to personally receive Sheriff and his fellow defectors.
Speaking to Daily Trust on Wednesday, the PDP gubernatorial candidate in 2015, Gambo Lawan confirmed that they would be received by the APC leadership in Abuja today.
“Yes, we have moved to the APC; I and former Governor Sheriff have left the PDP for the APC and there are reasons,”he said.
“Sheriff for instance is only going back home; he is the father of APC in Borno, he is a founding member of the party because he partook in taking the ANPP as one of the legacy parties that formed the APC.
“He only left the APC in 2015 when he was unfairly treated during the sharing of leadership positions when his candidate for the national secretary, Matawalli Kashim Imam was short-changed.
“So there is nothing new; Sheriff is the face of APC in Borno and the North East; he is the one who enthroned the incumbent governor and is behind the success story of many politicians.
“For me, I am not use to defection but was compelled to leave the PDP because it has been hijacked by some few people; the party has not reformed.
“And most importantly, politics is local; Borno is APC and it is for President Buhari. Our joining the party with millions of our supporters will strengthen it in Borno and environs.”
