PDP Convention: Fayose Damns Sheriff, Rejects Request to Nominate Governors

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

The crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday took another dimension, as the Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum , Mr. Ayodele Fayose, rejected the offer by Ali Modu Sheriff to nominate governors that would participate in the proposed convention.

Fayose said the court validated factional chairman of the party, Senator Sheriff, lacked the moral right to commandeer him to do so, saying he has no recognition for his faction.
The PDP recently broke into two factional leadership caucuses, Sheriff and Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi-led factions, to which Fayose belongs.

While the Makarfi faction has appealed the judgment at the Supreme Court, Fayose in response to Sheriff’s request yesterday, declared that he does not recognise him (Sheriff ) as the chairman of the party and would not want to have anything to do with him.

Sheriff, in a letter dated March 29, 2017 and signed by one Prof. Wole Oladipo, identified in the letter as the National Secretary of the party, urged Fayose to nominate governors that would participate in the much awaited convention.

Fayose, while replying Sheriff, in his letter dated April 4, 2017, and entitled: ‘Re-nomination of Governors For the National Convention,’ said: “I received your letter dated March 29, 2017 and signed by one
Prof. Wole Oladipo who claims to be the National Secretary of the PDP requesting me as the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum to send list of governors for your proposed convention.

“I wish to state that, I, Ayo Fayose do not recognise you as the party’s national chairman and will not have anything to do with you.

“I don’t have interest in a kangaroo convention being remote-controlled by the APC-led federal government.
“You are, therefore , advised to leave me out of any arrangement in which you are being portrayed as the leader of the party.

“I will not welcome any further correspondence from Sheriff faction because I’m not interested in the so-called convention,” Fayose said.