PDP Secretariat Guarded By Armed Policemen As Ali Modu Sheriff Resumes Duty

Senator Ali Modu Sheriff yesterday resumed duty as Peoples Demo­cratic Party (PDP) National Chairman at the party na­tional secretariat amidst tight security.
Sheriff, who was rein­stated by the Appeal Court gave assurance that the par­ty will not die in his hands.
The former Bornu State governor, who addressed a delegation of party mem­bers from Imo State, who paid him a solidarity visit at Wadata House, reiter­ated his call to all aggrieved members of the party to join hands with him in re­building the party.
Sheriff said the visit of the Imo delegation, which was led by Sen Hope Uzodim­ma, has punctured claims by his opponents that he does not enjoy the support of PDP members at the grassroots.
He, however, said repeat­edly that he does not want to join issues with anyone regarding the leadership dispute in the party.
He said: “Every day, I say I don’t want to join issues, but every day when I open the pages, I read stories that gives me doubt about these people, the respect I give them, whether they are truly deserving of it.
“This party belongs to all of us. After the judgment the first statement I made is let us come together and re­build this party. We are not going to give this party to people who are not mem­bers of this party.
“People should go back to their states and get the party together. Time will tell who is right and who is wrong. And Nigerians are watching. I still appeal to ev­erybody, let’s come together. Let us work together. By the grace of God, this ship will not capsize. The cargo will not sink.”
While expressing ap­preciation to the Imo PDP members for the solidar­ity visit, the PDP National chairman promised to sup­port women in the party to get 30% representation in elective offices.
Speaking earlier, former Minister of Information, Prof Walter Ofonagoro, who was part of the delega­tion, said the people of the state abhors illegality and impunity, hence the deci­sion to identify with Sheriff.
He called for an end to the leadership tussle in the party, stating that the PDP crisis is hurting Nigerians.
Ofonagoro said: “We have the highest regard for the rule of law. That is why we are here. We are here because we cannot allow a situation where a vacuum is allowed in our party.”
He, however, called on Sheriff to strive for recon­ciliation between all feud­ing members of the party, so that the party can move forward.