Ali-Modu Sheriff, a former two-term governor of Borno State and a national chairmanship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has withdrawn from the race.

Mr Sheriff, who spoke at a news conference on Sunday in Abuja, said he withdrew from the race to respect the party and President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to zone the position to the North-central.

He added that he decided to withdraw from the race as a party man who respects the rule of law and the leaders of the party.

“I am sure that most of you have been following the trends of activities of our party, the APC within the last 10 days or so.

“The party has taken a position that the position of its national chairman should go to the North Central, meaning it is exclusively zoned to contestants of the zone.

“The President is the leader of the party and he has taken a position. I have always told you that I will contest if the position is zoned to my zone.

“That has been my statement always, and today they have taken a position. I respect the president as a person and as a president, he is my leader, therefore, I do not want to oppose him in any way or form,” Mr Sheriff said.

The former Borno governor added that the president and the party’s leaders must have a reason for allowing the zoning of its chairmanship to the North-central.

“I have led a party: the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I am a founding father of this party. I was the Chairman of Board of Trustees (BOT) of the All Nigerian People Party (ANPP),” he said.