Ali Modu Sheriff

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Ali Modu Sheriff

|image = Ali Modu Sherrff crop 2007.jpg

|caption = Modu Sheriff in 2007

|width = 150px

|office1 = Chairman of the PDP National Working Committee
{{small|Acting}}

|term_start1 = 16 February 2016

|term_end1 = 21 May 2016

|predecessor1 = Uche Secondus {{small|(Acting)}}

|successor1 =

Ahmed Makarfi {{small|(Caretaker)}}

|office2 = Governor of Borno State

|deputy2 = Adamu Dibal

|term_start2 = 29 May 2003

|term_end2 = 29 May 2011

|predecessor2 = Mala Kachalla

|successor2 = Kashim Shettima

|office3 = Senator for Borno Central

|term_start3 = 3 June 1999

|term_end3 = 3 June 2003

|predecessor3 = Himself (1993)

|successor3 = Mohammed Abba Aji

|term_start4 = 5 December 1992

|term_end4 = 17 November 1993

|predecessor4 =

|successor4 = Himself (1999)

|birth_date = {{birth year and age|1956}}

|birth_place = Ngala, Northern Region, British Nigeria (now in Borno State, Nigeria)

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = All Progressive Congress (2013–2014; 2018–present)

| otherparty = {{plainlist|

National Republican Convention (1992–1993)
United Nigeria Congress Party (1997–1998)

All Nigeria People's Party (1998–2013)

Peoples Democratic Party (2014–2018)

}}

Ali Modu Sheriff (born 1956) is a Nigerian politician who served as governor of Borno State from 2003 to 2011. He was the first governor to serve two consecutive terms.{{cite web|url=http://nggovernorsforum.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid= |title=Governor Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno State |publisher=Nigeria Governors Forum |access-date=December 13, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823064237/http://nggovernorsforum.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid= |archive-date=August 23, 2011 }}

Though Sheriff had held two elected offices as a member of All Nigeria People's Party, he would later join the All Progressives Congress becoming a founding member of that party. In 2014, Sheriff switched affiliation to the People's Democratic Party.{{cite news|title=We'll replace Buhari in 2019; nothing will stop us, PDP Chairman, Sheriff, vows|url=http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/198604-well-replace-buhari-in-2019-nothing-will-stop-us-pdp-chairman-sheriff-vows.html|access-date=18 February 2016|work=Premium Times|date=17 February 2016}}{{cite news|title=Ali Modu Sheriff Defects to PDP,Will Ikimi Join Him?|url=http://newsdiaryonline.com/ali-modu-sheriff-defects-pdpwill-ikimi-join/|access-date=18 February 2016|work=News Diary Online|date=14 July 2014}} He acted as the National Working Committee chair from 16 February 2016 until the National Convention, when he was removed and replaced by Ahmed Makarfi.{{cite news|author=Ernest Chinwo|title=PDP Throws Out Sheriff, Markarfi Heads Caretaker Committee |url=http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/05/21/pdp-throws-out-sheriff-markarfi-heads-caretaker-committee/|access-date=22 May 2016|work=Thisday|date=21 May 2016}}{{cite news|title=Ex-Borno Governor, Modu Sheriff, Sworn in As PDP Chairman|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201602170034.html|access-date=18 February 2016|work=AllAfrica|date=16 February 2016}} On 26 April 2018, Sheriff defected back to All Progressives Congress.{{Cite web|url=https://newtelegraphonline.com/2018/04/just-in-ex-pdp-chair-ali-modu-sheriff-defects-to-apc/|title=JUST IN: Ex-PDP chair, Ali Modu Sheriff, defects to APC|website=newtelegraphonline.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-26}}

Background

Ali Modu Sheriff was born in Ngala Town, Ngala Local Government Area, Borno State in 1956. His father was the business tycoon Modu Sheriff, who was also the Galadima of the Borno Emirate.{{Cite web |last=Haruna |first=Abdulkareem |date=23 April 2020 |title=Ex-Borno governor’s father dies in fire accident |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/nnorth-east/389338-ex-borno-governors-father-dies-in-fire-accident.html |access-date=2024-08-21 |website=Premium Times}} He attended Government Secondary School, Bama (1974–1979). He attended the London School of Business, where he studied Insurance, Banking and Finance.

In 1981, he joined his father's construction company as a Director, later becoming Managing Director. In 1985, he registered his first company. His companies include Meroil Organisation and Union Chase.{{cite web|url=http://www.bornonigeria.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48&Itemid=89 |title=Governor - Dr. Ali Modu Sheriff |publisher=Borno State Government |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100909035235/http://www.bornonigeria.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48&Itemid=89 |archive-date=September 9, 2010 |access-date=December 13, 2009 |url-status=live }}

He was elected as a senator from Borno during the Third Nigerian Republic under the banner of NRC, his opponent then was Kolo Kingibe, wife of the Social Democratic Party, SDP chairman, Babagana Kingibe.{{cite news |url=http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/borno-younger-sheriff-s-guber-bid-creates-tension/83930/ |title=Borno: Younger Sheriff's Guber Bid Creates Tension |publisher=thisdaylive.com |access-date=2015-07-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716125934/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/borno-younger-sheriff-s-guber-bid-creates-tension/83930/ |archive-date=2015-07-16 }} He was also a member of the Constitutional Conference and chaired the committee on states and local government.

Senate career

Ali Modu Sheriff was elected Senator representing Borno Central on the platform of the National Republican Convention during the Third Republic; he was again elected on the platform of the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) during General Sani Abacha's military regime.

After Nigeria' return to democratic governance, in April 1999 he was again elected Senator, Borno Central on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

Governor of Borno State

In 2003, he ran for Governor of Borno State on the ANPP platform and won. He was re-elected in 2007 and sworn in on 29 May 2007.

In both cases, he defeated the PDP candidate Kashim Ibrahim-Imam.{{cite news|url=http://www.sunday.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2047&catid=7&Itemid=113 |title=Borno PDP: The enemy from within |author=Mohammed Gujbawu |date=November 28, 2009 |work=Daily Trust |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708222237/http://www.sunday.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2047&catid=7&Itemid=113 |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |access-date=April 22, 2010 |url-status=dead }}

PDP National Working Committee

During 2014, Sheriff switch affiliation to the People's Democratic Party. On 16 February 2016, he became the chairman of PDP National Working Committee (acting), serving until his removal from office at the 2016 National Convention. He was replaced by Ahmed Makarfi as Caretaker Chairman.{{Cite web |last=punchng |date=2017-07-13 |title=Makarfi takes over PDP HQ as Supreme Court sacks Sheriff |url=https://punchng.com/makarfi-takes-over-pdp-hq-as-scourt-sacks-sheriff/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US}}

PDP crisis

The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Friday 17 February 2017 declared former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff as the authentic National Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). In July 2017, following the verdict from a five-man Supreme Court, Ali Modu Sheriff was removed as the PDP Chairman and Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi reinstated as the National Chairman of PDP.{{Cite web|url=http://www.premiumherald.com/2017/07/12/supreme-court-sacks-sheriff-reinstates-makarfi-pdp-chairman/|title=Supreme Court sacks Sheriff, reinstates Makarfi as PDP chairman|last=Herald|first=Premium|date=2017-07-12|website=The Premium Herald|access-date=2017-07-12}}{{Cite news|url=http://punchng.com/breaking-supreme-court-sacks-sheriff-reinstates-makarfi-as-pdp-chairman/|title=BREAKING: Supreme Court sacks Sheriff, reinstates Makarfi as PDP chairman|work=Punch Newspapers|access-date=2017-07-12|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/236655-breaking-supreme-court-sacks-sheriff-declares-makarfi-authentic-pdp-leader.html|title=Supreme Court sacks Sheriff, declares Makarfi authentic PDP leader - Premium Times Nigeria|date=2017-07-12|work=Premium Times Nigeria|access-date=2017-07-12|language=en-GB}}

Controversy

Sheriff has been accused of being a sponsor to the Islamic sect Boko Haram by an Australian hostage negotiator, Stephen Davies. {{cite news|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/headlines/167706-ex-gov-sheriff-accused-of-sponsoring-boko-haram-ready-to-face-justice.html#sthash.xJ4QodiG.dpbs |title=Ex-Gov Sheriff, accused of sponsoring Boko Haram, ready to face justice |date=September 3, 2014 |author=Sani Tukur |access-date=September 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911084008/https://www.premiumtimesng.com/headlines/167706-ex-gov-sheriff-accused-of-sponsoring-boko-haram-ready-to-face-justice.html#sthash.xJ4QodiG.dpbs |archive-date=September 11, 2014 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=http://saharareporters.com/2014/09/04/how-modu-sheriff-sponsored-boko-haram-femi-falana-san |title=How Modu Sheriff Sponsored Boko Haram |author=Femi Falana |date=September 4, 2014 |access-date=September 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905110122/http://saharareporters.com/2014/09/04/how-modu-sheriff-sponsored-boko-haram-femi-falana-san |archive-date=September 5, 2014 |url-status=live }}