Barely 24 hours after the former President Goodluck Jonathan asked the Caretaker Chairman of the PDP, Ahmed Makarfi  and Ali Modu Sheriff to step down from their various positions and allow governors nominate a Chairman to lead the party, Sheriff has said a strong ‘no’ to the proposition..

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff has declared that he would not step down as the national leader of the party, asserting his leadership of a the dismembered party.

In a statement signed by the spokesperson of Sheriff’s faction, Bernard Mikko, Sheriff said that the issue of resignation never came up during the meeting the former Borno State Governor had with Jonathan.

The statement read: “The general public, PDP members and the media are hereby informed that the issue of the National Chairman’s resignation as the political solution has never been discussed nor was it put up for discussion with the former President and other stakeholders.

“The general public, PDP members nationwide and the media are hereby informed that shortly before the Court of Appeal judgment of 17th February, 2017, all parties and stakeholders agreed that on the receipt of the Court of Appeal judgment, whichever way it goes; members will be prevailed upon and urged to support the judgment and orders of the Court of Appeal and rally round the successful party to conduct; as soon as possible a national unity convention for the election of officers; the modalities of which shall be worked out by all stakeholders of the party.

“As law abiding citizen and advocate of the rule of law, the National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff hereby calls on all stakeholders including but not limited to PDP governors; national and state assembly members; Board of Trustee members to make themselves available and give their input on how we can; as quickly as possible conduct a national unity convention where our national officers will be elected. The National Chairman has promised and undertaken not to contest”.