APC Blocks Sheriff's Visit to Party Headquarters …Borno State APC: Why We Oppose Sheriff's Registration in Abuja

The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has again rebuffed the move by former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rejoin the ruling party.

Senator Ali Modu Sheriff planed defection to APC was to have been heralded by a reception at national secretariat of the party in Abuja last Wednesday.

Sheriff was scheduled to meet with the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, along with members of the National Working Committee (NWC) Thursday but the meeting was cancelled at the last minute.

According to the media invitation sent out by the APC publicity unit, Sheriff was expected to storm the APC national secretariat in Abuja with his supporters by noon Thursday.

However, in a statement issued by the party's National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi, it said Sheriff would not be received back to the party in Abuja.

The statement said in line with the constitution of APC, registration of members is done at ward level not headquarters.

"Our attention has been drawn to reports in some sections of the media that the former factional Chairman of the PDP, Sheriff, plans to defect to the APC.

"While we are aware of such intentions, we wish to restate our earlier position that anyone who wants to join the party should do so at the ward level.

"We are happy to welcome new members to our party, but membership cards are not issued at the party national secretariat," it said.

Meanwhile, the Borno State chapter of the APC has given reasons why it is opposed to the move by Sheriff seeking to renew his membership of the party in Abuja.

While speaking to journalists at the party's national secretariat in Abuja, the state Chairman, Hon. Ali Bukar Dolori, said the move was a dangerous one capable of causing confusion in the state branch of the party ahead of the forthcoming congresses.

According to him, "We have read news on the social media yesterday and in some national dailies this morning, that Sheriff will be received by our national chairman today at the headquarters of our great party.

"I want to assure you that the news remains a rumour because somebody is only trying to fly a kite which is capable of causing dangerous confusion during the state congresses in Borno State.

"We are aware of that well-articulated plan, and we are ready to defend any attempt towards destroying our party at any level and in any state, not just Borno. We shall conduct our congresses peacefully without any rancor, and I assure you nobody can create any faction for our party in Borno State during the Congresses expected in less than two weeks.

"I also want to draw your attention to the relevant section of APC constitution that deals with eligibility for membership: Article 9.1 of the APC Constitution (October 2014 and amended).”

The chairman drew the attention to the provisions of the APC constitution which requires that application for membership shall be made to and cleared by the ward executives of the party in the local government area where the person was born, resides, works or originates from.

For the online registration, the constitution said it is acceptable provided that it is cleared by the NWC of the party.”