PDP loses former Chairman to APC

Former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff, has made the decision to dump the party and rejoin the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to a report by Daily Trust, the APC's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, disclosed that Sheriff would be received formally into the party on Thursday, April 26, 2018.

"The information I heard is that it will be tomorrow (Thursday) at 12pm," he said.

The former PDP governor is expected to defect with the PDP's 2015 gubernatorial candidate in Borno state, Gambo Lawan.

Lawan confirmed that he would be defecting with Sheriff, saying he is leaving the PDP because it has been hijacked by some few people.

He said, "Yes, we have moved to the APC; I and former Governor Sheriff have left the PDP for the APC and there are reasons. 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 used 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."

According to sources that spoke to Daily Trust, Sheriff and Lawan recently met with President Muhammadu Buhari who directed the leadership of the APC to accept him into the party.

The sources also revealed that Sheriff would have been unveiled as a new APC member on Wednesday, April 25, with Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, in attendance, but the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting lasted till evening.

The source said, "What would happen tomorrow in Abuja is a mark of respect for Sheriff but I want to assure you that he had done all the processes of defection from his ward in Ngala town in Central Borno. The Borno APC is fully aware that he is coming."

Sheriff's controversial time with PDP

Sheriff was Borno state governor between 2003 and 2011 under the platform of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) before he defected to the PDP in 2014.

In February 2016, he was installed as the party's National Working Committee (NWC) chairman in an acting capacity until he was removed during the party's 2016 National Convention three months later. Sheriff rejected the convention's decision, declaring that any other chairman was a 'counterfeit'.

In July 2017, a five man panel of the Supreme Court sacked Sheriffand installed Senator Ahmed Makarfi as the acting national chairman of the PDP before Uche Secondus was elected chairman at the party's 2017 convention.