The National Executive Committee, NEC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has confirmed the appointment of a former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, as the new chairman of the party.
Mr. Sheriff is taking over from Uche Secondus, who administered the party as interim chairman since the resignation of Ahmadu Mu’azu after the 2015 general election.
Mr. Sheriff has already been sworn into office, the spokesperson of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, said Tuesday.
The various caucuses of the PDP had earlier nominated the former Borno governor subject to the approval of its Board of Trustees and NEC.
The PDP is Nigeria’s biggest opposition party, and was defeated only in May 2015 after holding power for 16 years.
Mr. Sheriff has been a controversial figure amid allegations that he funded and sponsored the extremist sect, Boko Haram. He denies the allegation.
In 2015, the former governor was summoned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to respond to questions bordering on allegations of “misappropriation, embezzlement of funds and abuse of office while he was governor”.
He was not arraigned.
