We'll Ensure Modu Sheriff Moves From PDP To Prison – Group, Asks Replaced Guber Candidate To Protest Substitution
SAN FRANCISCO, December 29, (THEWILL) – A group, Borno Coalition for Good Governance, declared on Monday that it will ensure that former governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, moves from his new party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the prison.
“We are gathering all documented evidences at our disposal to ensure that Sheriff pays dearly for his crime by ensuring that he moves from PDP to prison,” the group said, adding: “This is because in as much as Sheriff remains a free man, Borno will never be in peace due to his evil machinations.”
The group also asked Alhaji Gambo Lawan, who won the PDP governorship primary in the state but was substituted at the weekend with Alhaji Mohammed Imam , to fight his substitution by the party in court.
In a statement issued Monday by its Chairman, Modu Wulgo and Secretary, John Ndirbula, the Borno Coalition for Good Governance said: “The emergence of Mohamed Imam as the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party in Borno state is a rape on democracy and another desperate attempt by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to rule by proxy.”
The group said Modu Sheriff , who was given a tough time by Governor Kashim Shettima and had to run for cover in PDP, was positioning his “lackey or surrogate” for the take-over of power from Shettima.
According to the group, “After Sheriff failed to control the resources of Borno State through Governor Kashim Shettima, out of frustration, he dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for PDP.”
The group also maintained that “A vote for Mohammed Imam in the forthcoming governorship election is a vote for Ali Sheriff to continue his eight-year misrule,” alleging that it would also be another opportunity for his father, Galadima Modu Sheriff, to continue to drain the state resources through dubious contracts.”
Advising the people of the state to resist the substitution, the group said : “We must avoid mortgaging the future of our children and generations yet unborn by voting wisely against Ali Sheriff and his agents of backwardness.
“We agree with Governor Kashim Shettima that he remains indebted to him, but this does not belittle the grievous sins of Sheriff against the people of Borno State.
“He has inflicted a deep cut on the lives of the people through the ongoing insurgency that it will take the state another 50 years to recover from the economic and social life support that it is presently experiencing.
Shetttima's severance of ties with Sheriff remains the best thing to have happened in the political landscape of Borno that has remained under the whims and caprices of the alleged Boko Haram sponsor.”
Describing the new PDP candidate, Mohammed Imam, “as the worst candidate to be selected as torchbearer with his drinking habit well known to all Borno people.,” the group said :“ His short stay as MMC chairman where he sometimes skips office due to hangover is a major reason why we cannot handover the onerous task of rebuilding of Borno to him, an alcoholic.”
The group therefore urged Gambo Lawan whose name was illegally substituted as the Borno PDP flagbearer to seek redress in court, saying “ this cannot stand in any court of law nor any party that has respect for internal democracy and party stakeholders.”