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Factional National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has declared Monday’s governorship primary of the party in Edo State as illegal.
The primary, conducted by the Ahmed Makarfi-constituted committee, produced Pastor Ize Iyamu as the party’s flagbearer in he forthcoming election but Sheriff on Tuesday described it as the work of an illegal care-taker committee.
Makarfi is the chairman of the party’s caretaker committee set up by PDP governors and other stakeholders at the convention held in Port Harcourt on May 21.
Recall that Sheriff had called off the convention but the governors disregarded his action.
In a statement on Tuesday, Sheriff urged members of the party nationwide, especially in Edo State, to disregard Monday’s primary.
A letter addressed to the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), signed by Mr. Sheriff and the National Secretary of his faction, Prof. Wale Oladipo, urged the electoral commission not to give legitimacy to what happened in Edo State.
The party said that the party would conduct a “proper primary” in the state.
Sheriff, in another statement, said a scheduled congress in Edo State would hold between June 23rd and June 29th. He warned state chairmen and officers of the party to desist from meeting or having anything to do with what he called the illegal caretaker committee, warning that anybody dealing with them is on his own.
He also announced the appointment, in an acting capacity, of some deputy national officers as members of the National Working Committee.
The newly appointed officers are:
1. Mr. Okey Nnadozie – Acting National Organizing Secretary
2. Mr. Alonge-Niyi Dennis – Acting National Youth Leader
3. Mrs. Hannatu Ullam – Acting National Women Leader
4. Barrister Bashir Maidugu – Acting National Legal Adviser.