Ali Modu Sheriff
The Ali Modu Sheriff’s loyal faction of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West, has defected to the Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN).
The faction, which had representation from all the six states of the South West, said the alleged inflammatory statements of the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, and removal of the names of some of the leaders of the party in the region at recent meetings held in Abuja, were responsible for their decision to leave the PDP.
The South West chairman of the faction and former PDP chairman in Ondo State, Hon. Ebenezer Alabi, who addressed journalists at the regional secretariat of the party, in Ibadan, yesterday, said they resolved to leave the party for Governor Fayose and his cohorts.
Alabi said though the outcome of the Supreme Court judgement was a surprise to the Sheriff group, they initially resolved to work with the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led group before the recent developments.
“We are all aware of the outcome of the Supreme Court judgement which confirmed Makarfi group as the authentic group; we have our reservations as for the judgement.
“We believe in judiciary and we have intention of cooperating with the Makarfi group before they started making inflammatory comments. They said they wanted to give us amnesty as if we are Boko Haram or militants,” he said.
The group faulted Governor Fayose over his several comments, especially when he allegedly said if the judgement had gone otherwise, he would set his PDP membership card ablaze.
“Yesterday also, the duo of Fayose and Omisore went to Abuja and removed the names of the leaders from the South West, including the name of the chairman of the party in Ogun State, Engr. Bayo Dayo, who belongs to Makarfi faction and replaced them with people that didn’t contest for the office.
“The flag bearer of the party in Oyo State governorship election in 2015, Senator Teslim Folarin, was also rough handled to the extent that his phone was stolen.
“We thought the outcome of the judgement of the court will teach us a lesson, rather the party is being taken over by vampires. Now, those of us who believe in the leadership of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, have now decided to move out and join forces with the Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN).
“The party was registered in 2012 as Mega Progressives Peoples Party (MPPP) and by July 25th of this month, the name will be officially changed to MPN.
“We are going to leave PDP for Fayose and his cohorts. We want to see if Fayose who says he has the South West in his pocket can transform his pocket to electoral victory in 2019,” he said.
While speaking, the regional coordinator of the group, Otunba Adeleke Adekoya, said Fayose did not represent Yoruba culture with the way he talked to elders.
“A cultured Yoruba person will not say the whole Yoruba nation is in his pocket just as Fayose had said. Power belongs to the people and not people who are fortunate to have access to government money and boast around,” he noted.
