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  • Makarfi camp slams Okorocha over comments on PDP crisis

    The Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has slammed Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State for his comments on the party crisis.

    Okorocha was quoted in the media as calling on members of the PDP to stop heating up the polity by respecting the Court of Appeal judgment that affirmed Ali Modu Sheriff as national chairman of the party.

    Okorocha is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)

    In a statement on Wednesday, the spokesman of the Makarfi camp, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said Okorocha’s statement did not come as a surprise.

    “He (Okorocha) is not known to be a person who exercises caution or restraint before making unguarded statements. His constant vituperation on matters small or big is indicative of an over-excited mind desperately in need of a large dose of tranquilizer.

    “It is curious that while he would want the PDP to accept the verdict of the Court of Appeal and not exercise its right of appeal to the Supreme Court, he was nowhere to be found when Sheriff refused to accept the judgment of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, but instead proceeded to the Court of Appeal.

    “In any case, what is Okorocha’s special interest in PDP matter? Need Nigerians any further conviction that the APC is the unseen hand stoking the fire of crisis in the PDP and Sheriff and his cohorts mere puppets in their hands?

     

    “The desperate attempt by APC to exonerate itself only further exposed its duplicity. The police excuse for preventing a peaceful assembly of distinguished PDP members on alleged but unproven security threat is an insult to the intelligence of Nigerians.

    “It is the duty of the police to provide security if they suspect any breach of peace. It is a gross abnegation of its responsibilities to prevent people from exercising their constitutionally guaranteed right of peaceful assembly.  No one is in doubt today that the police has submitted itself to total control and direction by the APC,” Adeyeye said.

    He urged the governor to advise his friends or agents in the PDP to fully comply with the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

    “The status quo ante May 21, 2016 is the full National Working Committee (NWC) elected at previous conventions and not the cronies that Sheriff singlehandedly appointed and who are parading themselves as officers of the party,” Adeyeye added.

    The spokesman restated the resolve of the Makarfi camp to pursue its case to a logical conclusion in the interest of justice and Nigerian democracy.

     

  • I’ll quit as PDP chief after convention – Sheriff

    I’ll quit as PDP chief after convention – Sheriff

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, has signified his willingness to quit his position after convening the party’s national convention where a new set of leaders would emerge.

    Sheriff made the declaration in Abuja on Wednesday while receiving the South West zonal leaders of the party who paid him a solidarity visit.

    He, however, did not state a possible date for the convention.

    This came just as one of the prominent backers of the Ahmed Makarfi -led Caretaker Committee, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, canvased a political solution to the party’s leadership crisis.

    Addressing the South West delegation, Sheriff said, “I am not here to remain as national chairman. I will be leaving as soon as we hold our national convention to elect a new set of leaders for the PDP.

    “I will make sure that we do a credible convention and that we elect leaders that are accepted by the grassroots, that is our mission. I will do that by the grace of God.”

    He pleaded with the Makarfi led caretaker committee, the party’s governors and other stakeholders to allow peace to reign in the PDP, asking them to wait for the convention to enable them change the present leadership.

    “If you like and you want to change something, wait for the convention and vote for the person you like. Nigerians and the world will see that you are validly elected by the PDP,” he said.

    The PDP chairman urged the party’s governors not to divide the party with their actions and utterances, saying they are very important stakeholders in the party.

    “The governors are very important, they are leaders of this party by their own right. They don’t have to divide the party,” he stated.

    Sheriff specifically begged Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State to respect the party, warning that prosperity would judge the governor by his utterances.

  • Jonathan backs Sheriff as Makarfi vows to fight on

    Jonathan backs Sheriff as Makarfi vows to fight on

    Governors, others insist on caretakers

    Why we stopped  meeting, by police

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday endorsed Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the National Chairman of the troubled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
    But the party’s key stakeholders, including governors, Board of Trustees (BoT) members, National Assembly Caucus and former ministers, passed a vote of confidence in the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee.
    Jonathan’s endorsement came amid protests by the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee and other critical organs of the party against the Appeal Court’s ruling that affirmed Sheriff’s chairmanship.
    Receiving Sheriff and members of his team at his Maitama, Abuja residence  yesterday, Jonathan, who kept addressing Sheriff as “my chairman”, said there were no factions in the party.
    Speaking after a closed door meeting with Sheriff and his team, Jonathan said: “We are not factionalised. We are one. There are bound to be differences in politics. We cannot run away from that.
    “It is the way we resolve these differences that makes us human beings and that is what makes us leaders. I have met with Sheriff. And I have met with others. I will still meet with others, so that we will be able to do what is expected of us as a political party.”
    Also speaking after the meeting, Sheriff said his mission was to unite the party and place it on a sound footing to provide credible opposition to the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.
    Saying he was still consulting, Sheriff stressed that there could be only one national chairman, adding: “We are putting everything together to ensure that the party is united.”
    “We are not fighting and this is no time to join issues with people. We want everybody to come back to the party. Very soon I will get back to you when I finish my consultations. I won’t tell you anything before I finish consultations.”
    He added that the constitution of the party does not recognise a caretaker committee.
    “There is only one PDP and there is only one national chairman. A group of people has the right to sit and discuss as only a group of people but not as PDP. If I go down to their level to exchange words with them, then I would not be different from them.
    “We don’t have anything like caretaker committee in our party. As father of the party, I will make sure everybody is united. I will make sure that everybody gets what they want in PDP.
    “By the time I finish my convention, Nigerians will know that we mean well for the party,” Sheriff said.
    At the enlarged stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Caretaker Committee, party chieftains took turns to denounce Sheriff, vowing to pursue the leadership tussle to the Supreme Court.
    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu decried what he described as the manipulation of vital institutions of democracy and radical decline of democratic freedoms in the country.
    Ekweremadu, who also attended the meeting of the Makarfi camp, said the solidarity of all key organs and bodies of the PDP towards the Makarfi-led PDP National Caretaker Committee showed that “it is not the hood that makes the monk”.
    Peeved by the sealing of the International Conference Centre (ICC) , the venue earlier announced for the meeting, Ekweremadu said “such flagrant manipulation of critical institutions of democracy was not only dangerous, but bad news for the nation’s democracy”.
    He said: “We are aware that all the institutions of democracy are being manipulated and harassed in this country. The National Assembly and the press are not left out.
    “The INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) has been captured and now a part of the All Progressives Congress. Our judiciary is being insulted and assaulted everyday. Their houses are being attacked very late at night and the judges are being harassed.
    “So, we are not surprised at what we are seeing today (sealing of meeting venue). But what remains is for us to remain resolute.”
    He expressed displeasure at what he described as the rise in political persecution in the country and enjoined PDP members to remain strong, as the party would work with Nigerians to restore true democracy and hope to the people.
    The lawmaker urged party members to remain resolute and protect the soul of the PDP and the nation’s hard-won democracy, insisting that the party leaders were made by the party faithful, and could never be imposed from outside.
    He continued: “If you look around this room, you will see a lot of people who are being harassed, persecuted, and taken to court. What is their offence?
    “They claim they allegedly received stolen property, yet nobody has been arraigned for the actual stealing. As a lawyer, I know that if you are being arraigned for receiving stolen property, you must first of all arraign the man who stole the property. That is not so in our own case. Is that democracy?”
    “We have heard there was a judgment in Port Harcourt. Now, those who benefitted from the judgment, where are they? Are they with our former ministers? Are they with our National Assembly members? Are they with our governors? Which organ of the party are they with or is with them? The truth is that it is not the hood that makes the monk”.
    “I believe that with determination and sticking together, we will triumph and Nigeria will be better for it”.
    Ekweremadu also decried the worsening economic conditions in the country, noting that all APC promises had been kept in the reverse order.
    “They told us that one U.S dollar would be one naira when they take over. Has that happened? Today, our currency is the worst currency in the whole of Africa.
    “Is that the type of democracy we looked forward to? I can see a situation where the price of oil is going up and the value of naira is going down. What type of economics is that?”.
    Makarfi vowed that Nigerians had not seen the end of the matter, adding that the Court of Appeal judgment that affirmed Sheriff as chairman was faulty.
    “As it happened in Port Harcourt, so it happened here. This is not the last. It’s an aberration to stop people from associating. When PDP was in power, it could have stopped the formation of the APC. The principle that people should be given a choice to participate in democracy should be encouraged.
    “We know what happened in Port Harcourt when the court gave its verdict. The type-written judgement is the main judgement but the hand written judgement, we don’t know what happened.”
    Makarfi said the Caretaker Committee had approached the court for an injunction to allow the committee to continue pending the determination of the cross appeal at the Supreme Court.
    A communique issued at the end of the meeting stated that while the party held the judiciary in the highest regard, the decision of the Court of Appeal was greeted with consternation, not only amongst leaders and members of the party in Nigeria, but also true lovers of democracy in Nigeria and the world over.
    Among the resolutions reached at the meeting was that the PDP remained united, strong, resolute, steadfast and solid under the leadership of the National Caretaker Committee, in view of the fact that the Court of Appeal is not the final court on the matter.
    The communique added: “All members, leaders and organs of the party, including but not limited to the Board of Trustees, the Governors Forum, the National Assembly Caucus, PDP Former Ministers Forum, National Vice Chairmen, State Chapters represented by the Conference of State Party Chairmen, Leadership of State Assembly Caucuses and teeming members nationwide, stand resolute that authority to lead the PDP, and indeed any party, solely and exclusively derives from the consent of members at plenary.
    “PDP members freely and clearly expressed themselves on the 21st May 2016 at the Port Harcourt National Convention and we stand by the decision given that the National Convention is the highest decision-making organ of the party.
    “That we fully endorse the prompt and proactive decision of the National Caretaker Committee to lodge an appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria against the decision of the Court of Appeal as well as filing an application for injunction pending appeal of which was done in the morning of Monday 20th February 2017.
    “Our abiding faith in the capacity of the judiciary to protect Nigeria’s democracy and political aspirations of the Nigerian people, particularly at the level of the Supreme Court, proven repeatedly over time, is aided by the profound, fearless, irrepressible, comprehensive and insightful minority decision of T. N. Orji-Abadua, J. C. A. in CA/PH/349/2016 SHERRIF & ORS. VS. PDP & ORS., whom we salute for doing the judiciary proud in spite of the predatory interferences of anti-democratic forces and state actors.
    “That having duly filed both an appeal to the Supreme Court and an application for Injunction Pending Appeal in the morning of Monday the 20th February 2017, we pass a resounding and unqualified vote of confidence in the leadership of the Sen. Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party and pledge our unalloyed support to it as it pilots the affairs of the party in this critical transitional period of the party’s life.
    “To this end, we are not at all deceived by the supposed olive branch being offered by Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, knowing that the only thing that can come from traitors of his ilk is nothing but a poisoned chalice and a Greek gift.
    “The meeting reiterates that the party’s Constitution stipulates the process of democratically electing officers of the party and therefore emphatically rejects any imposition such as those being illegally paraded as officers of the party by Sen. Ali Modu Sherrif.
    “That stakeholders and leaders of the party are enjoined to return to their geopolitical zones, states, local governments  and wards to convene meetings of the party and disseminate the foregoing to members.
    “True party men are urged to remain calm, steadfast, loyal even in the face of wanton provocation of sealing off the venue of a peaceful assembly of stakeholders. We remain committed to the ideals of the party which stands us out as democrats.
    “The meeting agreed to appeal to all Nigerians to fully support the Peoples Democratic Party, a genuinely democratic party that is people oriented and a great defender of equity, justice and fairness to all in its commitment to eradicating poverty, hunger and under-development from our country.”

    Police: why we stopped meeting at ICC

    The Police yesterday said they did not bar Ahmed Makarfi’s group from holding a meeting in Abuja.
    The police said they got intelligence report of an impending breakdown of law and order.
    A statement by the FCT Police Command Spokesman Anjuguri Manzah., said: “The attention of the FCT Police Command has been drawn to an online report subscribing that Police bar Makarfi faction of PDP from using the International Conference Centre (ICC) for a meeting.
    “The report was misleading, malicious and capable of misinforming members of the public on the statutory roles of the Nigeria Police Force to restore law and order, and guarantee the protection of lives and property throughout the country.
    “The story is absolutely a shadowy imagination of the writer and should be disregarded.
    “Credible Intelligence at the disposal of the FCT Police Command indicated that the two factions i.e. the Ahmed Makarfi Group and the Ali Modu Sheriff Group scheduled to hold their meetings at the International Conference Centre (ICC) today and this can lead to serious clash and breach of Public peace.
    “The Command did not close down the International conference Centre nor barred the Makarfi faction of PDP from using the ICC for meeting as alleged in the report but intervened to prevent a breakdown of law and order by advising the Management of the ICC not to allow any of the group to use the place for any meeting. However, the Command provided visible security for the Ahmed Makarfi Group when they relocated to Ekiti State Government lodge in Asokoro, Abuja despite not been informed.
    “To this end, the FCT Police Command wishes to assure the media of its support and cooperation to ensure law and order, crime-free society and credible reportage.”

     

  • We didn’t stop Makarfi’s faction from meeting – Police

    The Police on Monday described as false a report claiming that it barred the Ahmed Makarfi’s faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding its meeting.

    The police said it got intelligence that both factions planned to hold meeting at the same venue, adding that its personnel stepped in to prevent breakdown of law and order.

    The Spokesman of the FCT Police Command, ASP Anjuguri Manzah, stated this in a statement in Abuja.

    The statement read: “The attention of the FCT Police Command has been drawn to an online report posted by Breaking Times subscribing that police barred Makarfi faction of PDP from using International Conference Centre (ICC) for meeting.

    “The report was misleading, malicious and capable of misinforming members of the public on the statutory roles of the Nigeria Police Force to restore law and order, and guarantee the protection of lives and property throughout the country.

    “The story is absolutely a shadowy imagination of the writer and should be disregarded.

    “Credible Intelligence at the disposal of the FCT Police Command indicated that the two factions i.e. the Ahmed Makarfi Group and the Ali Modu Sheriff Group scheduled to hold their meetings at the International Conference Centre (ICC) today and this can lead to serious clash and breach of public peace.

    “The Command did not close down the International conference Centre nor barred the Makarfi faction of PDP from using the ICC for meeting as alleged in the report but intervened to prevent breakdown of law and order by advising the Management of the ICC not allow any of the group to use the place for any meeting. However, the Command provided visible security for the Ahmed Makarfi Group when they relocated to Ekiti State Government lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, despite not being informed.

    “To this end, the FCT Police Command wishes to assure the media of its support and cooperation to ensure law and order, crime free society and credible reportage.”

  • PDP crisis: Makarfi, govs weigh five options

    PDP crisis: Makarfi, govs weigh five options

    •Sheriff waves olive branch, says no winner, no loser
    •Ben Bruce queues behind ex-Borno Gov
    •APC to PDP: Count us out of your trouble

    The fate of the beleaguered Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be sorted out tomorrow at an emergency meeting of the expanded National Caucus of the party in Abuja.
    The meeting summoned by the Ahmed Makarfi faction is in response to weekend’s ruling of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt which sacked the Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee and reinstated Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the rightful national chairman.
    Five options have been listed for consideration at the meeting, The Nation gathered authoritatively, yesterday.
    Sheriff offered yesterday to make sacrifices to ensure the unity of the party and branded the court’s ruling as victory for all.
    “Sheriff is no winner and Makarfi is no loser, because there is no winner and there is no vanquished. It’s a misunderstanding within our fold,” he told reporters in Abuja.
    Sheriff got the backing of Senator Ben Bruce (Bayelsa East) who called the bickering in the party as childish and irrelevant.
    He said no to further litigation to resolve the crisis.
    The All Progressives Congress (APC) reacting to allegation by prominent members of the Makafi faction of the PDP that it engineered the court ruling dismissed such views as laughable.
    The APC said it is none of its business who heads PDP.
    At tomorrow’s meeting of the expanded caucus of the PDP, members are scheduled to consider the following options and build consensus on the most practicable to save the party.
    They are:
    *File an appeal against the Court of Appeal’s ruling which declared Sheriff as the valid National Chairman of PDP
    * Allow the status quo to remain with Sheriff in charge of the party till August
    * Negotiate with Sheriff’s faction to find amicable political solutions to the crisis
    * Leave PDP en masse for Sheriff.
    * Leave Sheriff to tow the path of honour and bow out as he promised in the past.
    Expected at the forum are PDP governors, members of the National Executive Committee (NEC), BOT members, ex-Ministers, party members in the National Assembly especially principal officers, and chairmen of the state chapters of PDP.
    The Board of Trustees of PDP is also likely to follow suit on Tuesday and the Forum of ex-Ministers on Thursday.
    The BoT, the PDP Governors Forum and the Forum of ex-Ministers are all on Makarfi’s side.
    They said in separate statements at the weekend that on no account can they work with Sheriff.
    The spokesman of the Forum of ex-Ministers, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, said: “We are holding an Expanded Caucus meeting on Monday to review the ruling and chart a way forward whether to file an appeal at the Supreme Court against the decision of the Court of Appeal on Friday or allow the status quo to remain.
    “We have many options on the table but those in favour of taking the battle to the Supreme Court are in the majority.
    “But some have asked for political solutions because they are tired of litigations. They think that the prolonged court case is affecting the fortunes of the party.
    “It is when we meet that we will try to build consensus on any of the alternatives which we may consider viable and realistic.
    “No one knows how long the case will take at the Supreme Court and Anambra State Governorship poll is around the corner. We need to do a lot of work to reshape the party.
    “Some of our leaders are saying if Sheriff means well, if he is working in the interest of the party, why can’t he take a bow?”
    Asked if PDP leaders might leave the party for Sheriff, the ex- National Planning Minister said: “The possibility is remote. I don’t see the possibility for now.”
    However, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff yesterday asked Senator Ahmed Makarfi to join him in fixing the party.
    Sheriff, at a press conference in Abuja declared the judgment a no-winner-no-vanquished situation, adding that he was ready to make sacrifices to ensure the unity of the party.
    His words:”It’s victory for all. Sheriff is no winner and Makarfi is no loser because there is no winner and there is no vanquished. It’s a misunderstanding within our fold.
    “This is the beginning of good things to come. I am not interested in sitting tight in office as national chairman but to ensure the conduct of credible convention to elect leaders for the PDP.”
    The former Borno State Governor however parried questions regarding the expiration of his tenure as chairman, saying: “my tenure as chairman is immaterial. I am not talking about my tenure.”
    He hinted that he would open consultations with the governors, the BoT, the National Assembly caucus and the various reconciliation committees set up by the party.
    According to him, the consultations will start immediately, adding that his team would ensure the re-opening of the party’s secretariat which was sealed off by the police last June.
    Sheriff maintained that the consultations would lead to the process of drawing up a programme for conducting national convention and congresses in states where the last exercise was inconclusive.
    The party chairman cautioned the various stakeholders against making inflammatory statements that could further compound the party’s problems.
    “Well meaning Nigerians want the PDP to be united. My hands are clean and I have nothing to hide. I am ready to make sacrifices to ensure the unity of the party.
    “We want the culture of impunity to stop, we should learn to do things the right way by giving the party back to the people”, Sheriff added.
    With Sheriff at the briefing were Senator Hope Uzodinma, Chief Chris Uba, and Senator Seidu Kumo, among others.
    Senator Ben Murray Bruce threw his weight behind Sheriff yesterday.
    He offered, via his Twitter handle, to work with the former Borno State governor.
    In a tweet which he entitled ‘My Position on the Appeal Court’s judgement concerning the Leadership of the PDP,’ he said the PDP has embarked on the path of destruction.
    “Concerning the PDP, the current bickering is childish and irrelevant,” he said.
    “I am not in support of anymore litigation. We will work with Ali Modu Sheriff and go to a convention. Right now, PDP is on a course towards destruction and abiding by the judgement of the court is the only thing that can save us.
    “In the first place, it is never the job of the judiciary to choose the leader of a party. I therefore call an end to the fighting. And I am supporting Ali Modu Sheriff because it is the only way to preserve the party. Right now, what Nigeria has is a one-party state – there is no opposition. Enough is enough. This is the time for PDP to unite, we are a formidable force.”
    But the Makarfi camp insisted on having nothing to do with Sheriff.
    Spokesman for the group, Prince Dayo Adeyeye said in a statement that the Appeal Court judgment cannot stand as it is nothing short of a “travesty of justice, a mockery of valid facts, miscarriage of justice and an invidious attempt to destroy the PDP.”
    “We will certainly appeal to the Supreme Court. No reconciliatory effort will stop it. We need the Supreme Court to make a pronouncement on the issue once and for all,” he said.
    “We maintain that this is a continuation of the attempt to kill the PDP and thereby destroy all opposition in Nigeria. The rebels in the party who were favoured by the two justices of the Appeal Court are snakes within the house working for the ruling party, the APC.
    “The great conspiracy to silence the PDP is an assault on the Nigerian democracy. We are however determined to resist this onslaught to the very last. The struggle continues.”
    The APC through its National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi denied having a hand in the crisis rocking the PDP.
    The party said it has no interest in who emerges as the national chairman of the opposition party or how the PDP handles its internal affairs.
    Abdullahi insisted, in an interview, that the crisis within the PDP is of no interest whatsoever to the APC or the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and urged the opposition party to stop looking for who to blame for the glaring division in its ranks.
    He said:”What is happening in the PDP is their internal problem. I am not a member of their party and I can tell you that APC is not interested in the cries. We have no interest whatsoever in who emerges as the national chairman of the opposition party or in how the PDP handles its internal affairs.
    “Whoever is alleging that APC has a hand in the crisis or the judgements does not know what he or she is talking about. I will just want the world to know that APC as the ruling party is not interested in what goes on in the PDP, especially their internal scheming. We also do not care how they get to settle their problems.
    “I will also challenge those making the allegations to be specific by mentioning names of person who intervened in the said judgement as alleged. It is when we all get to hear such names if any exists, that we can all look at how APC is involved. Until then, I want to advise PDP to find solutions to their problems without mentioning APC. Above all, I want to say the allegation is laughable,” Abdulahi said.
    The Appeal Court, in declaring Sheriff the rightful national chairman of the PDP, also nullified the National Caretaker Committee of the party led by Senators Ahmed Makarfi.
    Two t of the three-member Appeal Court, Justice B.G. Sanga and Justice A. Gumel, in their judgment said the Port Harcourt convention on May 21, 2016, was an abuse of court process.
    Delivering the lead judgment, Sanga said that PDP did not follow the provisions of Article 47(3) of its Constitution in the removal of the Sherrif-led National Working Committee.
    Justice Theresa Agbadua Orji, in her own judgment, said she found it difficult to agree with the positions of the two judges on the matter.
    She argued that the contentious issue in the matter which was the judgment of July 4, 2016 by the lower court did not constitute any abuse of court process by the respondent as alleged.
    She maintained that Sheriff actively participated in the screening exercise of the party before he backed out, emphasizing that he had no power as an individual to cancel or postpone the national convention because he was not the party.

  • PDP governors reject Sheriff …as Appeal Court sacks Makarfi

    PDP governors reject Sheriff …as Appeal Court sacks Makarfi

    Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vowed yesterday to have nothing to do with Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff moments after the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt reinstated  him as the rightful chairman of the party.

    The party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) led by Senator Walid Jibrin is similarly not disposed to doing business with the former Borno State governor as  party chair.

    The Appeal Court, by a split decision, yesterday dismissed Senator Ahmed Makarfi as chairman of the caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party and nullified the party’s  national convention in Port Harcourt that established the caretaker committee.

    The process that led to the  creation of the caretaker committee ,it said, was   an abuse of court process.

    Senator Sheriff was restored as the rightful national chairman of the party.

    Reaction  from the PDP Governors Forum to the court verdict was swift in coming.

    Its chairman and ardent opponent of Sheriff,Governor Ayodele Fayose   Reacting  on behalf of the PDP governors in Abuja, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State said the judgement was an assault on  the will of the people.

    “If the people truly symbolize what a party is, then the machinations of ýdetractors and the anti-democratic forces will not prevail at last”, Fayose said.

    ýThe governors however commended the minority judgement on the issue and expressed the hope that truth would prevail.

    “Thank God we have another opportunity to seek justice at the Supreme Court, which I believe will not be delayed or denied.

    “The party will appeal the judgement as we believe in the ability of the judiciary to do justice”.

    On his part,Jibrin said the party was making high level consultations over the judgment and that the various organs of the party would come out with a statement on Tuesday.

    “This judgement is not a threat but rather it is going to put us together. I appeal strongly to every member of the PDP to remain calm, not to panic, ýnot to move to any other party as all efforts are on to ensure that PDP remains strong.

    “Those who are crying today will laugh; those who are disturbed and worried will smile”, Jibrin declared.

    The BoT chair expressed the hope that the matter would soon be resolved by the party

    But Sheriff, flushed by the verdict, vowed to restructure the party “such that characters like Wike and Fayose cannot find a way through to attain any position of prominence in our party in the future.”

    He was referring to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State both of whom initially backed his ambition to lead the party  only to back out a few hours to the commencement of the  botched Port Harcourt convention.

    The two governors, he said in his first reaction to the court’s ruling,  ” have brought shame and agony through the application of their crude and godless politics which is at variance with the principles upon which our founding fathers built our great party. We must find a way to sieve things so that only men of character and integrity can come through for positions of responsibility at all levels of our political engagement in the country.”

    Makarfi in  his own reaction at a press conference in Kaduna described the court  ruling as a temporary setback.

    He said the PDP  would overcome the set back politically and legally and would come out of it strongerý and bigger.

    “We have utmost respect for the judiciary. So we are not going to take the laws into our hands. We might not agree with the judgement but there is a process and procedure if you did not agree with something,” he said.

    Counsel to his faction of the party,Mr.Oladeji Lamikanra (SAN) said his clients would head to the Supreme Court on the issue.

    Two out of the three members of the  Appeal Court panel  – Justices B.G Sanga and A.B Gumel –  said the Port Harcourt  convention where Makarfi was picked as caretaker committee chairman of the party was in contravention of a court order and the court would not close its eyes to such illegality.

    They thus upheld the judgment of Justice Ibrahim Buba and set aside the  judgment of Justice Muhammed Liman of Port Harcourt Federal High Court  which had pronounced the convention as legal.

    Sanga who read the lead judgement said that PDP convention of 21 May 2016, did not follow the provisions of Article 47(3) of the party’s  constitution in the removal of the Sherrif-led National Working Committee.

    For instance, he said  no vote of confidence was passed on Sheriff or the committee as provided by the said article, and the national working committee was not put on notice.

    He stated that Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, held in error when he said that the appellant committed abuse of court process by postponing the PDP convention.

    Justice Gumel, who is also the Presiding Judge of the court aligned with Sanga.

    He said that the preliminary objection filed by the PDP was incompetent.

    He held that Sheriff and his executive could not be removed until August, 2017, except the party held an election.

    Gumel described the originating summons in the suit at the Federal High Court as over-reaching, and ordered the parties to maintain the status quo.

    The judges said that the convention disobeyed a court order and that the court would not close its eye to such illegality.

    They upheld the judgment of Justice Mohammed Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos, and set aside the judgment of Justice Mohammed Liman of Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, which upheld the convention and its outcome.

    The court awarded N100, 000 to Sheriff, to be paid by the nullified national caretaker committee’s Chairman, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, the PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Inspector-General of Police and Department of State Service (DSS).

    However, Justice T.S. Orji-Abadua, in his dissenting rulingt, upheld Justice Liman’s judgment, saying that the Port Harcourt convention was legal.

    According to her, the PDP national convention was in line with the 2012 amended Constitution of the party and not an abuse of court process.

    The judge held that Ali Amodu Sheriff had no powers to cancel the party’s national convention.

    She said that Sheriff was only appointed in an acting capacity, pending election.

    Justice Orji-Abadua said “going by Article 33(3) of the PDP Constitution, Sheriff does not possess overriding powers over the PDP National Executive Council and therefore, had no right to unilaterally cancel the May 21, 2016, convention.

    She said that Sheriff erroneously and unwittingly absented himself from the May 21 convention after being screened, which prompted the party to invoke Article 31(1) of its Constitution and set up a caretaker committee.

    She also held that Article 47 did not make it mandatory for the PDP to pass a vote of confidence before removing its officers and therefore, upheld the outcome of the convention and the caretaker committee.

    Orji-Abadua stated that Sheriff had no powers to cancel PDP national convention.

    She awarded a cost of N100, 000 against Sheriff.

    Speaking to reporters later,counsel to the Makarfi faction, Mr. Laminkanra (SAN)  said his client would  go to Supreme court to appeal  the judgement.

    Ali-Modu Sheriff said in his   reaction that he will “urgently steer the ship of PDP clear of the path of infamy which Wike and Fayose has brought our party.

    “ That is the urgent task we have. We cannot continue to advertise thug brand and expect Nigerians to take us seriously”.

    Senator Makarfi ,speaking in Kaduna said: “as an individual, I cannot decide for the party until the party stakeholders meet and take a definite decision.

    “The party will meet on Monday to take a decision of the Court of Appeal Judgement. Every person concerned has been notified. The governors, members of the National Assembly, members of the Board of trustees and Party officials.”

    He asked  party members to remain calm.

    He added: “We will not allow opposition to be killed. We must strive to ensure that we survive for the sake of democracy and the country. ”

    Asked whether the  Sheriff faction would allow him to use the PDP national Secretariat on Monday,Makarfi said  he is not in a position to tell the world what Sheriff will do.

    But he said he would  be surprised if security agencies will allow him Sheriff access to the party secretariat.

    “When a court ruled in our favour sometime ago, we were not allowed to occupy the secretariat. So, we are going to see what happens this time around” he said.

    Counsel to Sheriff,Prince Ajibola Oluyede said ysetrday’s judgement is a vindication of an earlier ruling of Justice Abang of the Federal High Court  on the illegality of the Makarfi faction.

    He said: “Our preliminary objection raised before Liman J. which he rejected has now been upheld by the court of appeal and Liman J.’s judgment set aside in a unanimous decision.

     ”It is an all round victory for justice and truth.

     “One can only hope that the PDP will take this as a clean slate to rebuild a party that can stand the test of time.”

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, asked PDP members and supporters not to worry over the ruling of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, on the lingering party leadership tussle.

    Ekweremadu stated this while reacting to the Court judgment which declared Ali Modu Shariff authentic chairman of the PDP.

    Ekweremadu said,”There is no cause for alarm. The party leadership will meet as soon as possible to take a decision on the best way forward.

    “I enjoin party faithful to remain steadfast as we will surely emerge stronger from the present challenges. Those dreaming about the death of the opposition in Nigeria will have to sleep much longer, and still wake up to meet us much stronger because a vibrant opposition is the beauty of democracy”.

    Former Aviation Minister Femi Fani- Kayode said on his Twitter handle that  ”It’s time for us to gut the PDP, leave its carcass for Sheriff and form a new party.”

    He also tweeted :”The decision by the Court of Appeal in PH to recognise Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the Nat. Chairman of the PDP is a victory for @MBuhari.”

  • Court declares Sheriff as PDP chairman

    Court declares Sheriff as PDP chairman

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Friday declared Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as authentic chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    A three-man panel of the appellate court delivered the verdict on the leadership tussle rocking the party.

    Sheriff and former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarffi, are both laying claim to the party chairmanship position.

    Makarfi was appointed the chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee at last year’s botched national convention of the party held in Port Harcourt.

    Meanwhile,  the counsel to Sheriff’s faction of the PDP, Prince Ajibola Oloyede, has described the appellate court verdict as “all round victory for justice and truth.”

    “One can only hope that the PDP will take this as a clean slate to rebuild a party that can stand the test of time,” he said.

     

     

  • PDP to police: Reconsider fate of dismissed officers

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Nigeria Police Force to reconsider the fate of the six police officers dismissed for alleged unprofessional conduct during legislative rerun elections in Rivers.

    The Chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Ahmed Makarfi, made the call during chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Makarfi described the dismissal of the officers who were hitherto attached to Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, as “politically motivated.”

    He said the decision was biased and should be reconsidered for the sake of justice.

    The six police officers – Insp. Eyong Victor, Sgt. Peter Ekpo, Sgt. Oguni Goodluck, Sgt. Orji Nwoke, Sgt. Okpe Ezekiel and Sgt. Tanko Akor – were dismissed last month.

    Police authorities alleged that the officers violated clear instructions handed down to them during the December 10, 2016 legislative rerun elections in Rivers.

    They claimed the officers breached the force’s rules to be of good conduct and desist from escorting politically exposed persons to polling units throughout the period of the election.

    The officers were also accused of misusing the firearms in their possession contrary to the provisions of Force Order 237 while in the convoy of Wike on the election day.

  • PDP crisis: Makarfi hopeful of victory at Appeal Court

    PDP crisis: Makarfi hopeful of victory at Appeal Court

    The Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it is hopeful of receiving favourable judgment at the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt.
    The court slated judgment on the crisis rocking the party for February 17.
    According to the party, the outcome of the judgment would afford the PDP the much needed tonic to reposition the party for the 2019 general elections.
    Addressing chairmen of state chapters in Abuja yesterday, Makarfi, who is the the chairman of the Caretaker Committee, condemned what he described as attempts by the government to disrupt anti-government protests across the country.
    Makarfi said the caretaker committee remained committed to ensuring peace and reconciliation in the party, adding that the party would not be distracted by the antics of the ruling party.
    “No matter the distraction, we will not look in a different direction. When you are running and somebody is holding your cloth, if you have scissors, cut it off because if you look behind, somebody behind you will overtake you.
    “We have confidence in the judiciary that sooner or later the crisis will be over and PDP will bounce back.”
    Makarfi said the party was looking forward to receiving the report of the Strategy Review and Inter-party Affairs Committee, headed by Prof. Jerry Gana. The report is billed for submission next Tuesday.
    The chairman of the Forum of PDP State Chairman, Mr. Paul Ekpo, commended the caretaker committee members for their maturity in the handling of the affairs of the party.
    Ekpo, on behalf of others, declared support for the caretaker committee, saying the caretaker remained a legal instrument put in place by the party’s convention.
    A statement by its spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said: “For emphasis, freedom of speech, association and assembly are fundamental and constitutional rights of citizens of this country and the police or any other security agency have no right or power to stop or interfere with lawful and peaceful gathering under any pretext.”

  • PDP leadership will not be distracted from commitment – Makarfi

    The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not be distracted from its commitment to reposition the party for better performance in the future, the Chairman of the party Caretaker Committee, Ahmed Markarfi, has said.

    Makarfi spoke on Tuesday when he received the forum of PDP state chairmen in Abuja.

    He said the leadership of the PDP will reunite the party and make it stronger, especially after the leadership challenge rocking the party.

    “We know where we are heading and no matter the distraction, we will not agree to look different directions,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the PDP caretaker committee chairman as saying at the forum.

    “When you are running and somebody is holding your gown, don’t waste your time trying to rescue it; if you have scissors cut it.

    “When you reach the destination you can have a complete new gown to wear.

    “So, that is the way we are going. I still believe that at the end of the day PDP will be solid and the internal crisis will be solved.”

    Makarfi expressed confidence that the judiciary would do justice to the leadership crisis rocking the party.