The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) National Executive Committee (NEC) on Tuesday appointed Senator Ali Modu Sheriff the party’s new national chairman.

The decision was reached in a meeting of the NEC held at the opposition party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.

The decision of the NEC followed the nomination of Senator Sheriff by the National Caucus, a body with membership drawn from the forum of PDP governors, members of the National Assembly, Board of Trustees and National Working Committee of the party.

Following other nominations at the NEC meeting, Senator Sheriff emerged the new National Chairman, with 60 out of 71 votes of the NEC members present.

The new National Chairman was sworn-in by the PDP lawyer, Mr Emeka Etiaba, in a short ceremony.

The appointment was in keeping with section 47 (6) of the PDP Constitution, which empowers the NEC to fill a vacant position with a person from the zone where the officer originated from.

Members of the party were earlier divided over the choice of the new leader.

Some believed the choice of sheriff would not promote the party’s agenda of strengthening and galvanizing its membership.

After his leadership approval, Mr Modu Sheriff promised to reform the party, defeated in the March 2015 general election after holding power for 16 years.

Senator Sheriff, a former Governor of Borno State, is replacing Ahmadu Mu’azu, the former chairman who resigned shortly after the polls that saw the All Progressives Congress taking hold of most states previously ruled by the PDP.

Mr Uche Secondus has been the acting chairman of the party since Mu’azu’s resignation. (Channels TV)

•Photo shows Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff.