Maiduguri — Governor Ali Modu Sheriff has challenged opposition parties in Borno state to boldly come out in 2011 electioneering campaigns to compete with the ruling All Nigeria People Party (ANPP).

Governor Sheriff threw this challenge at the Government House Maiduguri, while briefing journalists on the steps taken by his administration in controlling the spread of cholera epidemic which has ravaged some local government areas in the state.

The governor said, "Some politicians are capitalizing on the cholera outbreak in the state to blackmail the ruling ANPP. I challenge them to come out and play real politics come 2011. I assure you that PDP will not win a single ward in the state, because while they sleep in Abuja. We will embark on a massive campaign through out the nooks and crannies of the state".

Sheriff stated that whoever emerges the ANPP governorship flag bearer, will have his support for total victory of the party in the state, emphasizing that there is no vacancy for the opposition party in the state.

He said cholera is a natural disaster, and no responsible government will fold its arms and watch its people die, adding that the government responded promptly when the outbreak was reported, by directing the commissioner of health and his permanent secretary to move to the affected areas and assess the situation with a view to dispatching medical personnel and supplying the required drugs.

Sheriff further said cholera drugs were not drugs that you can easily buy in the pharmaceutical shops as they had to be ordered which normally takes time to arrive, stressing that the government has spent over N100 million on the procurement of drugs alone while the 27 local governments spent N5 million each.

The governor said that the spread of cholera in the state has been brought under control and advised the people to always keep their environments clean and ensure they drink potable water.