The ousted National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali modu Sheriff has declared the party’s governorship primaries in Edo state illegal.
In a letter addressed to the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and signed by Sheriff and the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, Sherriff said he has voided the primaries held by the Ahmed Makarfi led caretaker committee on Monday because the exercise was a contraption by an illegal care-taker committee.
He called on party members in the state to disregard the exercise.
Sherriff and Oladipo further urged INEC not to confer legitimacy on the Edo primaries, saying the party would conduct a proper exercise to nominate a candidate.
Consequently, Sheriff has released a scheduled congress in the state to start from June 23rd-June 29th with the inauguration of a congress committee scheduled for Thursday.
Sheriff warned state chapter chairmen and other officers of the party to desist from holding meetings with the Makarfi committee, stressing that such actions would attract sanctions.
Sheriff has announced the appointment of some expired deputy national officers as members of the National Working Committee (NWC) in acting capacity.
The appontments were meant to fill five vacancies created by the resignation of some NWC members, saying the appointments were in accordance with the provisions of Sections 39(2), 42 (2), 43 (2), 44 (2) and 47 (6) of the party’s constitution.
The newly appointed officers are Mr. Okey Nnadozie – Acting National Organizing Secretary; Mr. Alonge-Niyi Dennis –Acting National Youth Leader; Mrs. Hannatu Ullam –Acting National Women Leader; and Mr. Bashir Maidugu –Acting National Legal Adviser.
The appointments, he said, take immediate effect.