Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima announced on Thursday that he had reconciled with his predecessor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, in the interest of the state and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Shettima, who spoke shortly after an APC stakeholders meeting the two men attended in Maiduguri, said all members of the party would form a common front toward winning the 2015 general polls.
Borno has been at the heart of a simmering insurgency by the Boko Haram terrorist group and some experts say part of the reasons for the security challenge in the state is due to the political bad blood between Sherrif and Shettima.
“I want to announce that we have resolved to bury our differences as a family, the interest of our great party, the APC and the people,” Shettima said. “The APC is a big family and quarrels or disagreements are inevitable in any human endeavour.
“I want to assure you that we have decided to bury our hatchet and come together as a team from now on. By the grace of God, this is the last time you will hear of any inter party squabbles among members of APC in Borno.”
On his part, Sheriff said the problem was caused by mischief makers who spread rumours among the party members.
“I don’t have any problem with the governor, because I have lots of respect for him. I have never discussed the issue of replacing him as the APC governorship candidate for the 2015 polls as being rumoured. I am a national leader of the party whereas Shettima is the Borno leader of the APC.
“I do not need to control the party at the state level because it is not my role”, he said.
He said that a committee had been set up, under the leadership of Shettima, to conduct APC congresses in places where the events were marred by crises.
The disagreement between the two leaders of the party had also hindered the conduct of APC ward congress in many parts of the state.
