Factional National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has declared Monday’s governorship primary of the party in Edo State as illegal, dismissing it as the work of an illegal care-taker committee.

The faction of the party led by a former Governor of Kaduna State, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, conducted the primary, which produced Pastor Ize-Iyamu as the candidate.

Makarfi is the chairman of the party’s caretaker committee put together by PDP governors at the convention held in Port Harcourt on May 21.

Sheriff had called off the convention but the governors disregarded his action.

In a statement on Tuesday, Sheriff urged members of the party nationwide, especially in Edo State, to disregard the primary.

A letter addressed to the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), signed by Mr. Sheriff and the National Secretary of his faction, Prof. Wale Oladipo, urged the electoral commission not to give legitimacy to what happened in Edo State.

The party said that the party would conduct a “proper primary” in the state.

In another statement, the faction said a scheduled congress in Edo State would hold between June 23rd and June 29th, with the inauguration of Congress Committee scheduled for the first of those dates.

Sheriff  warned state chairmen and officers of the party to desist from meeting or having anything to do with what he called the illegal caretaker committee, warning that anybody dealing with them is on his own.

In yet another statement, the faction announced the appointment, in an acting capacity, of some deputy national officers as members of the National Working Committee.

It said it was acting following the resignation of five members of the NWC and in accordance with the provisions of sections 39(2), 42 (2), 43 (2), 44 (2) and 47 (6) of the Constitution of the party 2012 as amended.

The newly appointed officers are:

1. Mr. Okey Nnadozie – Acting National Organizing Secretary

2. Mr. Alonge-Niyi Dennis – Acting National Youth Leader

3. Mrs. Hannatu Ullam – Acting National Women Leader

4. Barrister Bashir Maidugu – Acting National Legal Adviser.

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