Former Governor
of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, has said he will seek redress in court by
suing the Australian negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davies, who recently fingered him
as one of the sponsors of the Boko Haram insurgency.
Speaking to
newsmen in Abuja yesterday, Sheriff said he would also drag the leadership of
the All Progressives Congress (APC) to court for repeating the same allegation.
Sheriff, who
insisted that the accusation was part of the campaign of calumny against him,
said he was prepared to face any probe panel that is aimed at addressing the
Boko Haram phenomenon.
“I'm ready
to face any panel in the world that is set up to clear my name. I'm ready for
any investigation. But I would sue the faceless Stephen Davies and the APC
leadership that repeated the lies told by the Australian,” he said.
He said he
was shocked at the statements credited to the National Chairman of APC, Chief
John Oyegun, that Davies' allegations were true.
“You can see
the type of leaders we have. Oyegun was in my house the other day urging me to
rejoin the party. Then he's now making this kind of comment," he
disclosed, blaming his defection from the APC to the PDP for his travails.
Reading from
a press statement, he noted that “as much as I do not consider changing one's
political party an anathema, I am particularly concerned that my defection from
the APC to PDP seems to further galvanise my detractors who have converted the
matter into a political weapon".
“Even as the
brain behind the whole charade, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in its
seeming desperation to retain my membership went rather too far in its
political mudslinging. I consider it most uncharitable for the party to use me
as an alibi for the obvious culpability of some of its members.
“As much as
I do not want to politicise such a serious issue like security, I am compelled
to correct Chief Oyegun's faulty generalisations and judgemental attitude in
acting out this well rehearsed script, conceived, written and directed by the
APC.
“It has
never been a secret that one of the most disturbing developments to the APC of
late, is the massive departure of very prominent members, including my humble
self. But this is not enough to warrant the callous campaigns against me or any
person for that matter,” he said.
Sheriff said
he doubted the authenticity of Davies’ press interview, wondering why the
negotiator did not make his findings known to the federal government that
commissioned him.
The former
governor said he believed the Australian was acting out a script designed to
embarrass him.
On the issue
of the sponsorship of Boko Haram, Sheriff said it was a ploy to evade the main
issues concerning the insurgency, tracing the origin of the sect to the late
Governor Mala Kachalla regime.
He insisted
that it was Kachalla who started the introduction and implementation of Sharia
in Borno State.
According to
Sheriff, “That could be said to be the starting point of the sect's ascendancy
as the executed leader of the insurgents, Mohammed Yusuf, featured prominently
in Kachalla's effort at establishing Sharia.”
He added:
“It may interest you to know that it was the government of my predecessor in
office, the late Alhaji Mala Kachallah (May his gentle soul rest in perfect
peace) that introduced Sharia Law in the state in the year 2000 through the
'Borno State Sharia Administration of Justice Law 2000'.
“As a matter
of fact, late Mala Kachallah signed the bill into law at an elaborate ceremony
at the Ramat Square in Maiduguri and appointed the Borno State Sharia Law
Implementation Committee in February, 2001 under the chairmanship of Professor
Abubakar Mustapha, the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri.
“Interestingly,
the late Mohammed Yusuf, leader of the Boko Haram sect, was a member of the
committee among other Islamic scholars. If indeed there was an agreement
between the sect and my predecessor on the issue of Sharia implementation, I am
not aware of it, as I was neither in government then nor was I a party to it.
“And since
the law precedes my administration, I may not be in a position to speak on how
it was conceived, promulgated and implemented. I present to you a copy of the
Borno State Sharia
Administration of Justice Law 2000 and the letter of appointment of the chairman and members of the Borno State Sharia Law Implementation Committee for your perusal.
Administration of Justice Law 2000 and the letter of appointment of the chairman and members of the Borno State Sharia Law Implementation Committee for your perusal.
“Let me
state categorically at this point that I do not share the ideology of the Boko
Haram sect, which is against western education, western culture and modern
science or any other sect with similar ideology.
“From my
background, it could be easily seen that we are completely opposed to one
another in terms of our viewpoints and convictions. By my nature and
upbringing, I have neither associated myself with nor shared the beliefs of
religious fundamentalists such as the Boko Haram sect or any other sect for
that matter.
“While in
office as governor, I did my best to curtail the activities of the sect. I have
never associated myself with any terrorist in any part of the world. I have
never in my life met Mohammed Yusuf, the leader of the Boko Haram sect, who
died in circumstances that are being investigated.”
He recalled
that Yusuf was arrested by the police and military authorities in a situation
he had no control over apart from providing logistics for the officers.
Commenting
on his relationship with a leader of the sect and former Commissioner for
Religious Affairs, the late Buju Foi, Sheriff said Foi was already the chairman
of a local government before he made him a commissioner in his cabinet,
pointing out that Foi was the nominee from his local government.
“Buju Foi
was the choice of his own people and that is why he became part of my
government,” he said.
Sheriff
maintained that he is a victim of the insurgency and not a sponsor, adding that
he lost his brother and many other associates to the insurgents.
“It is
instructive to point out that I had been one of the greatest victims of the
atrocities of the Boko Haram sect. As the Executive Governor of the state at
that time, I did not abdicate my responsibilities of protecting the lives and
property of the people and did not give them (Boko Haram) any breathing space
to operate outside the law of the land.
“Because of
this, they were driven by a desire for vengeance against me, my family and my
political associates. From the number of casualties amongst my relations and
political associates, it is evident that I suffered considerable personal
losses from the crisis.
“Amongst
those killed in cold blood were my younger brother, the late Alhaji Goni
Mustapha Sheriff, the defunct ANPP state chairman and my brother in-law, the
late Alhaji Awana Ngala, the gubernatorial candidate of our party in the 2011
elections, the late Modu Fannami Gubio, my bossom friends, Alhaji Mustapha
Fulawama and Bukar Goni Kols, and a host of other close political associates.
May their gentle souls rest in peace,” he said.
Tags
Politics
Our politicians are our worst enemies today.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry ursef Mr Sherrif God will vindicate u.
ReplyDelete