Sheriff: I opposed Port Harcourt convention because I didn’t want to go to jail

Ali Modu Sheriff, factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says he opposed the Port Harcourt convention of the party because he did not want to end in jail.

According to PUNCH, Sheriff said this in Abuja while receiving some state chairmen of the party.

He described as illegal the decision to go ahead with the convention against the court order, which stated otherwise.

Sheriff said he would vacate office, but maintained that he has the mandate to be in office for four years.

He said it was wrong for a faction of the party to attempt to push him aside when he was elected by the members of the party at its national executive committee meeting.

“I have no immunity, I was just a former governor and I didn’t want to go to jail for refusing the order of the court,” he said.

“I’m ready to go. I’m not saying I must be the national chairman at all costs.  I was invited to lead the party and the election that brought me to office was done at the NEC Hall of the party at its national secretariat,” he said.

“Four other aspirants contested against me at the NEC meeting. The governors invited me among others to be considered by the NEC and the NEC sat and elected me as the national chairman of the party.

“There’s nothing personal about my being there or individual pride about it. It is about the rule of law and the rule of law must not give way to illegalities.

“Ahmed Mu’azu got his election when former President Goodluck Jonathan was elected as the party’s presidential candidate in 2015. I replaced him. So, my tenure would expire after four years in office.”