Ondo Poll: I won’t arm-twist INEC on choice of candidate – Sheriff

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A factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ali Modu Sheriff, has said he would not take sides in any conflict over the choice of the party’s candidate for the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State. He said this in a statement by his media aide, Inuwa Bwala, on Tuesday. Mr. Sheriff had been linked to controversies over who, between Eyitayo Jegede and Jimoh Ibrahim, should be picked by the Independent National Electoral Commission as the party’s candidate for the election.

While Mr. Ibrahim emerged victorious at the primary election held by the Sheriff faction, Mr. Jegede won the one held by the Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee.

“Sheriff wishes to state that, as a law abiding leader, he is bound by whoever INEC publishes as both candidates in contention are respectable members of the PDP, and he will treat their issues based on merits and in accordance with the law,” the statement said.

He dismissed insinuations that he was behind several petitions against INEC and that he had done his duty by submitting a name to INEC, and expects that the commission would act in accordance with its own mandate.

Mr. Sheriff, a former governor of Borno state, said he was not unmindful of events leading to the emergence of the two candidates.

He assured Nigerian that steps were being taken to resolve all such issues even beyond what INEC may do, to avoid past experiences occasioned by internal bickering in the PDP. He assured the people of Ondo State that leaders of the party had been working to ensure the PDP emerged victorious in the election, irrespective of who fly’s its flag.

“He is not aware of any alleged move to blackmail INEC as he has high regards for the Commission, even as he charges INEC to ensure that the PDP is not short-changed in any future election, but should allow the people’s votes to count,” the statement said.

“Ali Modu Sheriff did not author nor did he authorize any petition to be written on his behalf, as is being mischievously alleged in some sections of the media and wish to state that people should stop using his name to settle scores.”