Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied reports in a section of the media quoting him as endorsing Ali Modu-Sheriff as the authentic national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Prompt News recalls that Mr. Sheriff and some of his lieutenants visited Mr. Jonathan on Monday at his residence in Abuja.
The Media Aide to the former President, Ikechukwu Eze, in a statement on Tuesday, said his Principal neither endorsed the Sheriff group during closed door meeting nor during interview with newsmen.
He however posited that Jonathan as a former President would always open his doors to party faithful as he continues to play mediation role.
“In deed, it may interest you to know that after meeting with Sheriff, the former President also met with Senator Ahmed Makarfi, leader of the PDP Caretaker Committee, and the party’s Board of Trustees chairman, Senator Walid Jubril, later in the evening.”
“As a peace-loving leader of the party, the former President’s interest is to help reposition PDP to enable it play a constructive role in the affairs of the nation, in view of the imperative of deepening the nation’s democracy.”
“I wish to let those spinning this falsehood know that it just doesn’t add up to fly a contrived banner of endorsement in one breath, and in another, concede that the former President explained his commitment in meeting with different interest groups, towards resolving the differences in the party.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the following are the former President’s exact words during the interview with newsmen, as had accurately been reported by most online and major national newspapers, as well as broadcast organisations:
‘We (PDP) are not factionalised. We are one. We are solving our problems. There are bound to be differences in politics. It is the way we resolve these differences that make us human beings and that is what makes us leaders. I have met with Sheriff. And I have met with others. I will still meet with others, so that we will be able to do what is expected of us as a political party,” Eze quoted Mr. Jonathan as saying.
