The Maiduguri International Airport that was shut down by the military two weeks ago was hurriedly opened yesterday just as activities were grounded to a halt for hours as the ex-governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff visited to prepare ground for his rumoured exit from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sheriff said his next destination is the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
As early as 9am, the route leading to the airport was busy, as politicians of different shades and characters filed out along the highway, all brandishing the posters of the ex-governor and PDP flags. They all waited for hours for the arrival of the former governor.
The military had two weeks ago slammed a total lockdown on the Maiduguri International Airport for unexplained security reasons, a situation that compelled Saudi Arabia-bound pilgrims to travel to Kano by road before boarding their flights. Even the state government officials who hitherto were allowed to fly private chartered jets also had to resort to travelling by road.
The state governor, Kashim Shettima had made several entreaties to the military to allow the pilgrims fly from Maiduguri without positive result.
Even the governor who was travelling to Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj had to travel out of Maiduguri by road.
Sheriff, who was accompanied by three members of the National Assembly, arrived Maiduguri at about 2pm and was received with deafening cheers from the crowd of the opposition PDP members and members of the ruling APC who are now on his side.
Hundreds of cars, both private and commercial caused heavy holdup for about three hours as they filed behind the ex-governor to his Giwa Barracks road home in G.R.A Maiduguri.
Speaking with journalists, the former governor confirmed that he was pulling out of the opposition APC to join the PDP; even though he said yesterday’s visit was meant to be a private one, but was later hijacked by his teaming supporters who mobilised the crowd that welcomed him.
“There is nothing to hide as you can see, I have come to consult with my people on our resolve to pull out of the APC and join the PDP. But this is just a private visit which turned out to be some kind of rally because our supporters wanted it that way”, said Sheriff.
“We are still consulting with the national officers of the PDP on how to go about it, because the pull out is going to be big, and we hope to organise it after fasting; presently, as you can see, majority of our people are fasting and praying for peace to return to our dear state. But after the Ramadan we would come back and pull our people out of the APC”.
Source: Leadership
