The naming of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the former governor of Borno
state as the PDP National Chairman and successor to Alhaji Adamu Muazu
has generated a lot of controversy in the polity. A prominent member of
this forum and staunch critic of PDP, who I consider my brother, friend,
and big boss called me to mock the decision of the party. In all
honesty, my reaction was more of wearing a sad face that I joined him in
the mockery. Who would accept the fact that an "alleged Boko Haram
founder" has been saddled with the task of navigating a party that is so
engrossed in controversy and is in dire need of leadership? My initial
displeasure wasn't hidden even towards some of my PDP comrades.
However,
I made up my mind to thoroughly appreciate the man Modu Sheriff and to
holistically look at issues that surround his tag as Boko-Haram
"founder" to establish whether or not such a moral burden on him is
justified.
Sheriff: A Boko Haram Sponsor or Victim of Blackmail?
The Belief...
Before
now there is this belief that Ali Modu Sheriff in preparation to 2003
election against then incumbent Malla Kachalla entered into agreement
with the Yusufyya BH movement. According to "belief", the Yusufiyya
group would support Modu Sheriff's gubernatorial bid on condition that
Sheriff's government(if elected) would implement Sharia rule in Borno
state. It is also believed Sheriff's appointment of Haramite Alhaji Buji
Foi, the National Secretary of Yusufyya Movement as commissioner for
religious affairs was in furtherance of the "agreement".
The Facts...
As
much as I would not want to draw myself into "defending" anybody
associated with BH, I think it will be appropriate to lay this issue to
bare. Facts on ground shows that sharia system was adopted in Borno
state on August 18, 2000, the law was tagged 'Borno State Sharia Administration of Justice Law 2000'.
It came just over a year after Sheriff's predecessor Bala Kachalla took
office and almost three years before Sheriff took office. This fact
ordinarily should nullify the rumour of purported agreement between
Sheriff and Yusufiyya movement prior to 2003 election.
www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/887355.stm
It is even a fact that on adoption of Sharia system in Borno state in 2000, then Governor Bala Kachalla constituted Borno State Sharia Law Implementation Committee in February, 2001
headed by Professor Abubakar Mustapha, the former Vice-Chancellor of
the University of Maiduguri, with Boko Haram leader Muhammed Yusuf as a
member of the committee. If there is anyone that Yusufyya would have
supported in 2003 would have been Bala Kachalla, who flew the AD ticket
for re-election but lost woefully to Sheriff. Why should Yusuf not
support Kachalla when he not only approved Sharia system but also
appointed Yusuf into Sharia Implementation Committee?
With
respect to the appointment of Alhaji Buji Foi as commissioner of
religious affairs, facts on ground showed that before his appointment as
commissioner, Foi was Chairman of Kaga LGA(Borno state) under the
administration of Bala Kachalla. It is not uncommon to see incumbent
governors' appoint former LGA bosses into their cabinet. There is no
record to show any public knowlege of Foi BH activity before his
appointment. It is pertinent to note that Foi resigned from Sheriff's
cabinet to join forces with the sect because the sect saw Sheriff's
government as a number one enemy.
If indeed Sheriff was a
"founder" of BH movement how come it was his predecessor in office that
had direct link with Muhammed Yusuf and Buji Foi? How come it was his
government that first declared BH as terrorist group in May 2010 even
before the FG(2013), UK(2014) and USA(2014) declared the group as such?
How come the group killed his brother Alhaji Goni Mustapha Sheriff,
brother-inlaw Alhaji Awana Ngala, and ANPP Guber candidate for 2011
Engr, Modu Fannami Gubio? Who will kill his own paymaster? Why didn't
the group help him win 2011 Senatorial election even when his
party(ANPP) won the governorship poll, Presidential poll and two seats
in the Senate in the said 2011 election?
When Did APC Realise That Sheriff Is a Baggage?
Sheriff
has been a member of the opposition since 1998/9. After he left power
in 2011, he was appointed BoT Chairman of ANPP, that has John Oyegun(now
APC Chairman) as member and also Ogbonnaya Onu(now a minister) as
chairman of the party(ANPP). As BoT Chairman of ANPP, he was
instrumental to the merger of ANPP, ACN and faction of APGA that formed
the APC. He was also a member of APC Board of Trustees between 2013 till
he left the party. He wasn't kicked out of APC, he voluntarily resigned
to pitch tent with the then ruling PDP. Now I beg to ask, when did APC
realise that Sheriff was a baggage?
It is pertinent to note that
prominent Borno politicians linked with BH members are members of APC
including; late Senator Ahmed Zanna and Senator Ali Ndume. On October 8,
2012 the JTF spokesman Lt Col Sagir Musa released a statement to say
that a BH commander Shuaibu Muhammed Bama was arrested in the house of
Senator Ahmed Zanna(APC). Zanna only claim was that Bama was/is his
nephew and he wasn't arrested in his house. In fact, DSS had to invite
Zanna for "questioning". Despite this, the APC still went on to present
Zanna for Senate in 2015(which he won but died before inauguration).
Similarly, the APC still presented Sen Ali Ndume for Senate in 2015
despite the fact that he was indicted for divulging phone numbers of
prominent Nigerians to BH sect and is presently under trial for
terrorism charge. If APC could present these two indicted men for
election, if they could massively campaign for them, how then are they
crying over Sheriff's appointment as PDP boss?
On Sheriff's Appointment As PDP Boss:
As
much as I am not too disposed to the former Borno state Governor, I
still believe that it is unfair to base opinion on him due to prejudice
instead of established fact. As a party loyalist and patriotic Nigerian,
I owe it a responsibility to stand for just cause for Nigeria(where my
ultimate loyalty lies) and PDP(that I'm aligned with). As such, I think
party members should look beyond prejudice and support the new
leadership under Senator Modu Sheriff. It is my prayer that the party
under Sheriff carry everyone along, bring in the youth, and take the
party to greater height.
Finally, is Sheriff the best man for PDP top job? Only time will tell. All I can say is "Welcome onboard Mr Chairman".
May God Bless Us All and Bless Nigeria
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