PDP Chairman Sheriff Speaks: Our Battle for 2019 has Started

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ali Modu Sheriff, has said that the battle for 2019 general election had started in earnest. This came as former Senate President, David Mark, bagged fellow PDP members to stop the in-fighting, otherwise the party would be defeated again.

Sheriff also distanced himself from the comment made by Inuwa Bwala, his media aide, regarding the call for Sheriff to step down.

Bwala had referred to the stakeholders, who made the demand as “self-styled” elders, threatening to report Jerry Gana, former Minister of Information and leader of the group, to the EFCC for allegedly defrauding the PDP to the tune of N500million.

But reacting at a media briefing in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, Sheriff said: “As a well cultured and astute politician, I would never make any comment that would ridicule the party.”

He added that it was not in his character to join issues with respected elders, noting that he never authorised any of his aides to react to issues raised by the aggrieved elders.

Sheriff said the elders deserved the right to complain about issues they considered inimical to the progress of the PDP.

He explained that the present leadership of the party was poised to lend a listening ear to all shades of opinions, with a view to strengthening it to face the challenges ahead.

He added, “Under our leadership and the support and encouragement of stakeholders and supporters, PDP will definitely bounce back in 2019.”