Crisis is brewing in the camp of factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff over the candidature of Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim for the November 26 Ondo State governorship election.

Sheriff has factionalised the PDP since May this year when the party’s National Convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, dissolved the former Na-tional Working Committee (NWC) and appointed a National Caretaker Committee headed by former Kaduna State governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi to run the affairs of the party.

Among former NWC members still with Sheriff are Prof. Wale Oladipo (former National Secretary) and Alhaji Adewale Adeyanju (former National Auditor).

But it appears that Sheriff and Oladipo’s relationship is becoming frosty. The former Borno State governor, through his Special Adviser, Media, Inuwa Bwala, on Tuesday, said he would not arm-twist the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Ibrahim as PDP’s candidate for the election.

The two factions of the PDP had submitted two names – Eyitayo Jegede and Jimoh Ibrahim to INEC following a parallel primary. The commission is expected to publish the names of qualified governorship candidate tomorrow.

Bwala had stated: “Sheriff wishes to state that, as a law abiding leader, he is bound by whoever INEC publishes, as both candidates in contention are respectable members of the PDP, and he will treat their issues based on merits and in accordance with the law.

This was interpreted to mean that Sheriff supports Jimoh Ibrahim, who was produced by his faction. But, Oladipo in a statement yesterday described the statement as “mischievous.”

He said: “The statement in question is false and Senator Sheriff stands solidly behind and in total support of Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim as the only authentic PDP candidate in the November 26 election in Ondo State.

“The NWC therefore calls on all PDP stakeholders in Ondo State and the Independent National Electoral Commission to respect and abide by the orders of the court and recognise Barr. Jimoh Ibrahim as the PDP governorship candidate in Ondo State.”

Oladipo, who later addressed a press conference with Ibrahim, threatened to initiate contempt charge against INEC if it fails to recognise the latter as Ondo PDP governorship candidate.

In a swift reaction, Bwala said Sheriff was not aware of any press conference and accused Oladipo of trying to sacrifice Sheriff ’s political interest because of Ibrahim’s ambition.