Ali Modu Sheriff

Senator Ali Modu Sheriff  who was kicked out of his high chair as interim chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  has described the Port Harcourt convention that removed him as a charade and an illegality.

Sheriff had ordered the convention cancelled and asked delegates to go home, following a series of court injunctions stopping the convention and the the election of principal officers of the party.

But a group within the party, led by the governors defied him and went ahead with the convention.

The result: Sheriff’s removal and the sack all members of the National Executive and the National Working Committee.

The convention resolved to set up a caretaker committee headed by  Senator Ahmed Makarfi, a former Governor of Kaduna State.

Other members  Senator Ben Obi – Secretary, Senator Ugbesia – Member, Sen Abdul Ningi – Member, Prince Dayo Adeyeye – Member, Aisha Aliyu – Member and Barrister Usman – Member.

The committee  has been mandated to elect a new National Working Committee for the party within three months.

Sheriff was adamant Saturday that “the PDP Convention stands cancelled owing to court injunctions” and called the exercise of Saturday a ‘charade and illegal’.

The coup in Port Harcourt and the parallel convention of the party in Abuja, with Senator Ibrahim Mantu as chairman,  may set the party on a crisis path, if there are no urgent steps taken to reach an accommodation and compromise.

The showdown in Port Harcourt was imminent  after Sheriff had announced a postponement of the convention.

The  Vice Chairman of the South-South, Mr Uche Secondus, however stabbed him first, declaring  that the convention must go ahead as planned.