The battle for 2019 has started, says Sheriff

Ali Modu Sheriff, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the battle for 2019 general election has started in earnest.

Appealing to aggrieved stakeholders of the party to put aside their differences, the chairman said PDP could not afford to remain divided if its desired goal was to be achieved.

He 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 Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly defrauding the PDP to the tune of N500 million.

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 highly respected elders, noting that he never authorised any of his aides to react to issues raised by the aggrieved elders.

Sheriff said the elders reserved the right to complain about issues they consider 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.

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