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. Though Sheriff had held two elected offices as a member of All Nigeria People's Party, he would later join the

All Progressives Congress The All Progressives Congress (APC) is one of the two major contemporary political parties in Nigeria, along with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Founded on 6 February 2013 from a merger of Nigeria's three largest opposition parties, t ...

becoming a founding member of that party. In 2014, Sheriff switched affiliation to the People's Democratic Party. He acted as the National Working Committee chair from 16 February 2016 until the

National Convention The National Convention () was the constituent assembly of the Kingdom of France for one day and the French First Republic for its first three years during the French Revolution, following the two-year National Constituent Assembly and the ...

, when he was removed and replaced by Ahmed Makarfi. On 26 April 2018, Sheriff defected back to All Progressives Congress.

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. 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. 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. 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 The United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) was a Nigerian political party. It was one of the five state-sanctioned political parties allowed by the government of General Sani Abacha to participate in state assembly elections held in December 1997, i ...

(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.

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.

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 In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

, Ali Modu Sheriff was removed as the PDP Chairman and Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi reinstated as the National Chairman of PDP.

Controversy

Sheriff has been accused of being a sponsor to the Islamic sect

Boko Haram Boko Haram, officially known as Jama'at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da'wa wa al-Jihad (), is a self-proclaimed jihadist militant group based in northeastern Nigeria and also active in Chad, Niger, northern Cameroon, and Mali. In 2016, the group spli ...

by an Australian hostage negotiator, Stephen Davies.

References

External links

Nigeria: Why President Jonathan Couldn't Avoid Modu Sheriff in Chad - Aide
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheriff, Ali Modu 1956 births Living people Governors of Borno State People from Borno State Nigerian Muslims Kanuri people All Nigeria Peoples Party politicians Senators of the 4th National Assembly (Nigeria) Social Democratic Party (Nigeria) politicians National Republican Convention politicians United Nigeria Congress Party politicians National Working Committee chairs