PDP: Sheriff disowns Ojougboh over attack on Jonathan

…I acted out of genuine concern –Jonathan

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),  Senator Ali Modu Sheriff yesterday said his deputy,  Dr. Cairo Ojoughoh, spoke for himself in the attack of former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
Ojougboh had alleged, at a press conference, that Governors Nyesom Wike and Ayodele Fayose of Rivers and Ekiti states recruited Jonathan to scuttle the peace process in the party.
Speaking to Daily Sun last night, Sheriff said Ojougboh spoke for himself and not on his behalf.
“I could not have asked him to say those things about the former president. He is on his own,” he said.
Ojougboh had alleged that the Rivers governor gave Jonathan N50 million to organise the PDP Stakeholders meeting, which held in Abuja last week, so as to frustrate the recommendation of the Reconciliation Committee headed by Governor Seriake Dickson,  which the party was already implementing. Sheriff had walked out on Jonathan and other PDP leaders at the stakeholders meeting which held at Shehu Miss Yar ‘Adua Centre, because he was not recognised to address the gathering as the party’s national chairman.
The PDP deputy national chairman said the party’s National Caretaker Committee (NWC), which he heads, accepted the recommendation of Dickson committee in the interest of peace in the party, even though his recommendations were against his group.
However, Jonathan said he acted out of his genuine concern for the party which gave him the platform to serve the country as president. The former president, who spoke through his media aide,  Ikechukwu Eze, said he  intervened in the PDP crisis because of his genuine commitment to bring about peace in the party . “It is out of his genuine concern to bring peace in the party. He has been meeting with members of the party; he met with Sheriff severally, he also met with Makarfi severally. He met with the governors. I don’t see any reason for anybody to say Jonathan collected money from anybody to organise the stakeholders conference.
“Even the man who made the allegation knows it is not true. The former president even had to persuade some of the governors to attend the meeting so as to make the peace meeting all encompassing,” he stated.