- We will work with Sheriff – Ben Bruce
- We will not work with Sheriff – Fayose
The Senator representing the Bayelsa East constituency Senator Ben Murray Bruce has thrown his weight behind Friday’s Appeal Court judgment, which upheld Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Bruce, a chieftain of the party said he was tired of the lingering crisis rocking the party, adding that he was ready to work with the Sheriff-led caretaker Committee for the good of the major opposition party.
In a statement issued on Saturday and forwarded to National Daily, the senator called on his party men to support Sheriff for the success of the party.
He said, “Concerning the PDP, the current bickering is childish and irrelevant. I am not in support of anymore litigation.
“We will work with Ali Modu Sheriff and go to a convention.
Right now, PDP is on a course towards destruction and abiding by the judgment of the court is the only thing that can save us.
“In the first place, it is never the job of the judiciary to choose the leader of a party. I, therefore, call for an end to the fighting. And I am supporting Ali Modu Sheriff because it is the only way to preserve the party. Right now, what Nigeria has is a one-party State, there is no opposition.
“Enough is enough. This is the time for PDP to unite, we are a formidable force!”
However Ekiti State Governor and the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Mr Peter Ayodele Fayose, had reacted to a statement credited to the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff , where he said Governors Fayose and Nyesom Wike would be pushed out of the party.
Addressing people of his state on Ekiti Radio-91.5FM and EKTV on Saturday, Fayose said he does not talk to “monkeys.”
Quoting a passage from the Bible, the outspoken governor said all things will work for his good and the good of the PDP.
He wondered who Sheriff would lead since most members of the party were on the side of Ahmed Makarfi.
He also urged members of the PDP who are aggrieved by the Port Harcourt Appeal Court ruling to “calm down.”
Fayose said, “On that comment by Sheriff that he will kick me and Gov Wike out of PDP, I don’t talk to monkeys. That Appeal Court judgement is just a phase, it will fizzle out. All things will work together for good for me, that’s what the Bible says.
“All the Governors, National Assembly members, BOT, reverred stakeholders are not on this side. So who is he going to be leading?
“Whether he is being backed by whatever forces, be it external or internal, good luck to him.
“Let everybody in PDP calm down, there is salvation ahead of us.
“I’m aware that some people are apprehensive of 2018 but I want to say it here that they should worry not. What I know that will happen tomorrow is that I will get to greater heights.
“There are three major important factors in elections, the people is number one, followed by the party and the candidate. You can have a party and candidate, if you don’t have the people, you will fail because the power of the people is greater than the power of those of us in power.
“Here in Ekiti, we have the people. I am saying it here that we are under the leadership of the Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee.
“When we got the judgement at the lower court, affirming the Caretaker Committee, Sheriff was still parading himself as the chairman.”
However National Daily gathered that the Governors of Akwa Ibom, Delta and Bayelsa States are working to persuade the Governors of Ebonyi, Abia, Enugu and Cross Rivers to support Ali Modu Sheriff for peace to reign.
Senator Sheriff has personally reached out to all the 36 state party chairmen and the Governors of Gombe and Taraba States, with a view to consolidate his position.
He is dangling deals favorable to these class of stakeholders and the promise to organize a national convention, where their aspirations will be met.
Members of the Board of Trustees of the party have no horse in the race. But Senator Sheriff as reached out to them in the spirit of brotherliness.