APC Afraid That I'll Bring Saraki, Other Defectors Back to PDP – Sheriff

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, said he has started reaching out to those who left the party for the All Progressives Congress and other political parties.

While sources say Sheriff is talking about the likes of Bukola Saraki, Yakubu Dogara and co, he insisted that he won’t mention their names yet.

Sheriff, who spoke to Punch through his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Inuwa Bwala in Abuja on Saturday, said the controversy that trailed his appointment was as a result of alleged panic in the camp of the ruling party, APC.

He said the APC leadership are aware of his capability to unite the members of the PDP and also bring back those who defected to the APC, hence the controversy on his appointment.

Bwala said, “We have started reaching out to those who left the PDP and we are discussing already. We are getting positive results from them, but we won’t go to the pages of newspapers to announce their names.

“The APC and its leadership are aware that Sheriff has the ability to unite the members of the PDP and also bring back those who have left the party.

“This was why we had the initial controversy on the appointment. But now, we have thrown that behind us as we have resumed work fully.”

Meanwhile, Goodluck Jonathan's Minister of National Planning, Suleiman Abubakar, has scolded Governor Ayo Fayose over his comments that President Buhari was planning to Islamize Nigeria.

He said Fayose's statement “should be seen as a misguided utterances... Any divisive statement from any leaders of our party is condemnable and not in the best interest of Nigeria.”