PDP: Sheriff, an adroit, astute politician, but… – Okupe

As mixed feelings continue to trail the emergence of Senator Alimodu Sheriff, a former governor of Bornu State, as the Acting National Chairman of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, former Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe, on Thursday, described Sheriff as a longstanding political associate, a very adroit and astute politician.

Alimodu-Sheriff

Okupe, who was however miffed by Sheriff’s emergence as the Ag. National Chairman of the party, said Sheriff was a wrong candidate and also coming in at a wrong time.
The ex-presidential spokesman who took to his Facebook page to express his regret at Sheriff’s choice said: “The capability of our party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and its leadership to make grave errors of judgement is legendary. What is intriguing is that even out of power that tendency seems unabating.
“Alhaji Ali Sheriff is a longstanding political associate of mine and a very adroit and astute politician of perhaps a sublime class. But for the post of the National chairman of the PDP, he is a wrong candidate and also coming in at a wrong time.
“According to many of his proponents, his strong point is that being a man of great financial resources, he will be favourably disposed to funding the activities of the party easily. But the antagonists believe that he is bringing along with his wealth a crushing weight of burden capable of fatally destroying the few strands of moral fibers on which a rejuvenation will depend on.
“For a morosed and severely prostrate political party, thanks to the overwhelming and effective propaganda machinery of the (opposition) party in power, this may yet be the mortal wound that may cause the eventual heamorrage of its long perplexed followership.
“The present crop of leadership of the PDP have not faired well. Impunity, presumptive reasoning, highly stratified and restrictive consultative processes, absolute lack of inclusiveness, mercantilism, group conceit with a resultant total disconnect with the main stakeholders and the followership are some of the florid signs and symptoms of the terminal disease that is killing this erstwhile great party.”
Okupe added that “Some of us have vowed not to leave the party. We still will not leave the party. Better still in spite of the present situation of things we will continue to engage all who care to listen and deepen consultation across the country seeking help from everyone ready to help to revive this severely challenged sickened giant.
“But if it is the divine will of God that our present masters must kill PDP, then by the Grace of God, we shall yet tarry at the graveside to bid it farewell.”
Vanguard