Borno PDP chairman suspended as Sheriff advocates peace

The National Working Committee (NWC) ‎of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suspended the Borno State Chairman of the party, Alhaji Baba Basharu.

Basharu’s suspension was issued based on the NWC’s preliminary hearing on reports of various activities inimical to the progress of the party, especially flouting the provisions of article 58 (1), (b), (c), (f) and (h) of the party’s constitution.

Meanwhile, the interim National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Alimodu Sheriff has called on the party’s stakeholders in the state to embrace peace and unite ahead of the 2019 election.

In a statement, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh said Basharu’s suspension was in line with the relevant provisions of the PDP’s Constitution on disciplinary procedures.

He said, “Basharu has been referred to the National Disciplinary Committee for appropriate action in line with the provisions of the constitution of the party.”

The party said its target is to win, not less than 30 governorship seats, in the coming 2019 general elections. The party, which was in control of 23 states before the 2015 general elections, now has only 12 states.
‎
Sheriff said the target is for the party to win not less than 30 states in 2019.

Sheriff, who spoke when he received a delegation from the Bauchi State chapter of the party, urged the members to bury their differences and work towards bringing the PDP back to winning ways.

According to him, “We must bring our party back to its glory days of1999. I want a situation where by next election, PDP will win at least 30 states.”

The national chairman, who described PDP’s performance in Bauchi during the 2015 elections as a disaster, said if the members of the party in the state decide to work together, nothing would stop them from winning in 2019.

Said he, “As matter of urgency we should organise a meeting of leaders and youths to find solution to the challenges facing the party. I know you have started something but we must finish it urgently. There is the need to call a meeting of all stakeholders with the aim to find solution and have a united home. If we achieve that to produce one million votes will be easy. That is what we are targeting. We have to go back to Bauchi State of 1999, 2003 to 2011.”

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, who was among the delegation, extolled the contributions of former governor’s Adamu Mu’azu and Isah Yuguda in building the PDP in the state.

Mohammed, who admitted that he aspired for the PDP’s national chairmanship, said he was ready to sacrifice ‎any ambition for peace to reign in the Bauchi State chapter.

He said, “If I will constitute a stumbling block to the unity of the state’s chapter of the PDP I would rather stand aside for peace to reign.

Instead of washing our dirty linens in public, I have agreed to bow to any of my ambitions in order to ensure that there is unity of purpose for PDP to prosper in the state,”