Sheriff’s Return To APC Unsettles Aspirants In Borno

Since the departure of Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff from the ruling All progressive Congress (APC) to the opposition Party, the People’s Democratic party (PDP) where he was made Chairman of the Party, the political atmosphere in Borno, especially with regards to the ruling APC in the state has been that managed by select individuals. And this no doubt created a room for the individuals to decide among themselves where the pendulum of affairs of the party would go. As the breeze of the 2019 general elections began to blow, many have been strategising with permutations as to how to win all the elective positions in the state. The body language of some would-be aspirants have been very glaring to the people to the extent that one can tell what each aspirant would be vying for. But with the return of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to APC, many political permutations towards the 2019 seem to have been put on hold for now. Sheriff’s recent entrance into the Borno government house where he had meeting with other members of APC including the incumbent Governor, Kashim Shettima, was like a triumphant entry. Youths in their numbers were hailing the former Borno helmsman who was entering the government house for the first time since he left office seven years ago, saying, “Baba Ka Shiga gidanka” meaning ‘Father, enter, it is your home.’ This action may have sent jitters down the spine of some people, because everyone knows Sheriff as a political machine that can’t be toyed with. Sheriff himself did not disappoint his supporters that faithful day as he called on them to unite and shun selfish interest in repositioning the party ahead of the 2019 general elections. In a bit to calm situation, Sheriff had while addressing stakeholders of the party at the Government House during the meeting told the members that he is back to APC as an ordinary card carrying member. He said, “I rejoined my great party, APC following the misunderstanding we had in PDP when I was the National Chairman, but I have to come back home and rejoin the APC which is my party I helped to form. “I am joining APC as an ordinary member, and I want to call on all and sundry to support the leadership of Governor Kashim Shettima and APC in the state.” Even with all these, there are still fear in some quarters as sheriff has remained silent since his return to the party with some wondering what his plans are. LEADERSHIP Weekend also gathered that Sheriff’s supporters did not participate much in the APC wards and local government congress held in the state two Saturdays ago. The presence of sheriff and his men in the party will have a lot of impact on who emerges as what. Also should he decide to run for Borno central Senatorial District which he lost to the present occupant, Sen. Baba Kaka Garbai, it won’t be easy for the later because of the new image of Sheriff. Unlike before when the process is in the hands of Governor Shettima and his men, the game has changed with the return of the former Governor who has since reconciled with the incumbent Governor whom he was highly instrumental to his becoming a Governor. LEADERSHIP reliably gathered that Kashim Imam is also a candidate to watch in the battle for Borno Government House come 2019.
Culled from Leadership