The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

  • PDP condemns alleged visits of Senator Abe to INEC

    PDP condemns alleged visits of Senator Abe to INEC

    The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has expressed discomfort over the alleged frequent visits to the Abuja head office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), by Senator Magnus Abe, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the forthcoming rerun National Assembly election in the State.

    Abe, a former Senator and APC candidate for Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the July 30, rescheduled Legislative elections, allegedly makes incessant visits on the office of the National election umpire.

    The state chairman of the party, Felix Obuah made the accusation in a statement in Port Harcourt, the state capital, yesterday.

    Obuah in his statement was trying to figure out the possible reason for the visits, which according to him has become too frequent for comfort and suspicious. His worry may not be unconnected with the fast approaching date for the rescheduled polls.

    In his words, Obuah said, “it is surprising that Abe can hardly comport himself and allow the electoral officers to do their job expeditiously.”

    He added, “if Abe is not accusing the electoral officers of taking sides, he is alleging one fraud or another just to play the spoiler, knowing full well that he cannot win any election in the entire Rivers South East.”

    On the part of PDP, the State Chairman said all that matters to the party is for the electoral body to do the right thing and ensure a smooth conduct of the re-run elections in which he believes the PDP will emerge victorious as usual.

    “Notwithstanding, we are keeping taps on every move by desperadoes and will never allow nor accept any act not in consonance with the principle of one man, one vote, to determine the final and the overall outcome of the re-run elections across the State,” Obuah warned.

    Abe was allegedly spotted in the INEC office on Monday and Friday last week and again, on Monday and Tuesday this week.

    Abe could not be reached as at press time for his reactions.

  • Abia: Court upholds INEC’s issuance of Certificate of Return to Ogah

    Abia: Court upholds INEC’s issuance of Certificate of Return to Ogah

    *Refuses PDP’s motion for stay of execution

    *Insists on Ikpeazu’s sack   

    *Judge slams Ikpeazu over Abia court’s order

    Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Friday upheld the certificate of return issued to Sampson Ogah as the Governor of Abia State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The judge also refused an application by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for stay of execution of its judgment sacking the incumbent Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.

    He described as an abuse of court process, the two applications for stay of execution filed by the PDP, and proceeded to dismiss them.

    The judge berated Ikpeazu for going before the Abia State High Court, Osisioma to obtain an ex-parte order, with the intention of frustrating the execution of the judgment of his court.

    Justice Abang spoke while delivering two rulings on Friday in relation to the applications by Ikpeazu and his party, the PDP for the stay of execution of the court’s judgment in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1086/2014 and filed by a PDP member, Obasi Uba Eleagbara.

    The proceedings lasted about seven and half hours, from 9am to 4:30pm.

    The court had on June 27 gave two judgments sacking Ikpeazu on the ground that he was not qualified to contest the last PDP primary election in the state having made false representation about his tax status to INEC. The suits were the one by Eleagabara and Sampson Ogah.

    When the case by Eleagbara was called, Ikpeazu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) told the court that he was not ready to argue the application for stay of execution filed on behalf of his client.

    Olanipekun sought an adjournment on the ground that he was new in the case and had not studied the application.

    But, lawyer to the plaintiff, Alex Iziyon objected to an adjournment and insisted that the application must be argued.

    On sensing that the judge was inclined to hearing the application, Olanipekun applied to withdraw the application. Iziyon did not object to Olanipekun’s application to withdraw, but told the judge to dismiss the application.

    Ruling, Justice Agang noted that having taken steps to circumvent the execution of the court’s judgment, the court could no longer indulge. Him.

    “Dr. Ikpeazu slapped the court in the face; went to a different court that is of coordinate jurisdiction and obtained another ex parte order that has the effect of neutralising the order of this court.

    “He slapped the court in the face, he cannot expect the court to grant him an indulgence. I so hold.

    “You cannot flout an order of court and expect the court to listen to you and grant you a discretionary indulgence. It is a serious matter to slap a court,” the judge said.

    While dismissing the applications for stay of execution by the PDP, Justice Abang he the party’s decision to file two application at the same time was an abuse of court process.

    He said: “The judgment of this court was given in favour of Dr. Sampson Ogah. One of the orders directed the PDP to forward the names of the person with the second highest votes at the PDP primary, Okezie Ikpeazu having been disqualified from contesting the primary, to INEC as the party’s candidate for the election.

    “The order made against Ikpeazu was rightly made. It subsists until it is set aside on appeal.

    “There is no issue of stay of execution. The judgment having been enforced by INEC, there is nothing to stay.

    “The judgment has been executed, certificate of return has been issued in favour of Ogah as Governor of Abia State.

    “There is no evidence that the motion for stay was served on INEC before it issued the certificate of return. Therefore, INEC lawfully issued the certificate of return to Ogah, which was issued in compliance with the orders of the court,” Justice Abang said.

    The judge awarded N40,000 cost against PDP to be paid to Ogah before it could take any further steps in the case.

    Earlier in relation to the case by Ogah, the judge elected to suspend further proceedings on the application for stay of the judgement in the case filed by Ikpeazu.

    The judge said his decision to stay further action in the case pending appeal, was informed by the concession by Iziyon that the appeal filed against the judgment had been entered at the Court of Appeal and that records of appeal had been complied.

    The judge said he would have proceeded to hear the applications pending before his court, including the one by the Ogah, which sought to set aside the order made the Osisioma High Court, but for the concession of Iziyon that the appeal having been entered, the trial court should stay all actions.

    Justice Abang, who drew a distinction between when a trial court could or could not stay proceedings because appeal had been entered at the Court of Appeal, said where it was an appeal against a final judgment, the trial court has the jurisdiction to hear an application for stay of execution.

    He relied on the provision of Order 7 Rule 3 and 4 of the Court of Appeal Rules to hold that a trial court could only stay proceedings where an appeal is entered at the Appeal Court if such an appeal was on an interlocutory decision.

    Justice Abang further held that where the decision appealed against was a final judgment of the trial court, such a court has the jurisdiction to first determine an application for stay of execution before such application is filed at the appellate court where the trial court refuses it.

  • Ogah: I’m not desperate to be Abia governor

    Ogah: I’m not desperate to be Abia governor

    A People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Abia State, Dr Uche Ogah, Wednesday said his demand to be sworn in as governor was not borne out of desperation.

    He said contrary to impression being created, his case against Governor Okezie Ikpeazu was far from being an ambush.

    According to him, his victory at the court is valid and not “a hurriedly executed legal ambush for the acquisition of political power as being insinuated by some persons.”

    “My case is strongly anchored on facts, and the refusal of Ikpeazu to respond to the core issues and his resort to propaganda speaks volumes,” Ogah said.

    At a briefing in Lagos through his counsel Mr Monday Ubani, Ogah said his case predated Ikpeazu’s swearing in as governor and had reached the Supreme Court before returning to the lower court.

    Ogah said his claim was that Ikpeazu was not eligible to participate in the primaries on the basis that he failed to pay his taxes as and when due as required by the 1999 Constitution, PDP’s Guidelines, and the Electoral Act of 2010. He said on the face of it, Ikpeazu’s tax clearance was questionable.

    The Tax Clearance form (Code PD002/G), dated November 4, 2014, and sworn to at the High Court Registry, Aba, shows that Ikpeazu’s tax receipt number for December 2011 is 0012849; that of December 2012 is 0012846 and that of December 2013 is 0012847 and 0012848.

    “Did he use one booklet to pay tax for three years? Is he the only one paying tax? How come the tax number which ends in 49 came first rather than last?,” Ubani asked.

    He said Ogah went to court soon after the primaries because the PDP’s appeal panel failed to respond to his complaints about Ikpeazu’s alleged non-qualification.

    When he filed the suit in 2014, Ikpeazu challenged the court’s jurisdiction. The appeal process got to the Court of Appeal until it was decided by the Supreme Court which ruled that the Federal High Court had jurisdiction to hear the case.

    The first judge handling the case, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, withdrew from the case on the basis that he was accused of bias and returned the file to the Chief Judge. The matter was re-assigned to Justice Okon Abang.

    “If Ikpeazu is convinced about the rightness of his cause, he should vacate the seat, plead his case in a court of law and when granted victory come back rather than resort to propaganda,” Ubani said.

    According to him, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should not be blamed for issuing Ogah with a certificate of return because the court ordered that it should be with immediate effect.

    Besides, there was no order to the contrary brought to INEC’s notice. “We got an enrolment order which INEC complied with,” Ubani said.

    The lawyer said legal steps would be taken to discharge the restraining order made by an Osisioma High Court stopping Ogah’s inauguration.

    “We have to vacate the order lawfully even though the judge who made the order did not indicate a return date,” Ubani said.

    On why Ogah should be sworn in, the lawyer said an appeal does not operate as a stay of execution in pre-election matters, adding that it is “absurd” for a court of coordinate jurisdiction to arrest an order made by another court.

    “The Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation should have ensured compliance with Justice Abang’s order in the absence of any contrary order, because the judgement says ‘with immediate effect’, and an appeal does not mean a stay of execution because it is not a criminal case,” Ubani said.

    He said Ogah would not take the laws into his hands but would pursue his case to the logical conclusion through the courts, adding that he was not desperate to be governor.

    Ubani said Ogah, an oil magnate, entrepreneur, investor and President of Master Energy Group, a conglomerate with over 15 subsidiaries and interests across a variety of industries with over 40,000 employees, “is not in the race for the money”.

    “He sees involvement in politics as an opportunity to have more solid and sustainable impact on Abia,” he added.

  • Why we are holding fresh guber primaries in Edo – Sheriff group

    Why we are holding fresh guber primaries in Edo – Sheriff group

    The newly inaugurated Edo state leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) under the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party, declared Monday that it was going on with the Wednesday governorship primaries of the party in the state, insisting that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu emerged through a caretaker committee that is not backed by constitution of the PDP.

    Addressing journalists in Benin City Monday, factional chairman of the party and former chairman of the PDP in Ondo state, Ebenezer Alabi, disclosed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will monitor the exercise, asserting that the court rulings so far on the issue, gave Ali Modu Sheriff the powers to produce the authentic governorship candidate of the PDP in Edo state to avoid fielding a candidate who according to him, emerged “through an illegal Caretaker Committee led by Ahmed Makarfi”.

    Flanked by the secretary of the caretaker committee, Chief Edmund Zealiwe and others, Alabi narrated that “the leadership of our party under Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, invoked section 31, sub section 2E of the constitution of PDP by suspending the state Executive members of the PDP in Edo state led by Chief Dan Orbih, for three months and appointed a seven man committee to superintend the Affairs of the PDP in Edo state.

    “We are holding our governorship primaries on Wednesday and the purpose of the primaries is to conform with the ruling of the court. You are aware that a lot of our members are in court as to who is the authentic leader of PDP in Nigeria because of the aborted convention we had in Port Harcourt. The court has made pronouncements. We are a democratic party and I believe we must follow the law.

    “The court made orders that the position of the National chairman, National secretary and national Auditor are not vacant that they have powers to hold such offices until 2018. Apart from that there is a court ruling in Abuja that actually said the tenure of Modu Sheriff ends in 2017. But despite these rulings, some members of our party went to Port Harcourt and elected caretaker committee to run the affairs of the party.

    “ Today we are faced with the problem of who is the authentic person that can sign a valid nomination to INEC, presently the court ceded that power to Ali Modu Sheriff. So if we want to have a valid candidate for the election in Edo state, we must do something proper to carry out the order of the court. And that is why we are here to comply with the order of the law and ensure that we have a proper candidate for our party in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo state,” he stated.

  • Makarfi, Obi working for APC chieftain – Sheriff

    Makarfi, Obi working for APC chieftain – Sheriff

    There seems to be no let-up in the leadership crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the combatants continue to dig deeper into the trenches.

    The party’s embattled National Chairman; Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff Friday accused the Chairman of the PDP caretaker committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Secretary of the committee, Senator Ben Obi of working for a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, Sheriff said the unnamed APC chieftain has been sponsoring Makarfi and Obi have been paying secret visits to the said APC chieftain.

    Makarfi and his committee have continued to insist that Sheriff was being sponsored by the APC for the purpose of destroying the PDP.

    But Sheriff retorted, “If there are people in the PDP working for the APC, it’s Makarfi and Obi. Makarfi should not force me to reveal details that I should not reveal under normal circumstances.

    “Makarfi and Obi have gone to visit this APC chieftain in his house twice and this particular individual is still in the APC. It would have been better if the man had left the APC to join the PDP.

    “They are reserving the 2019 presidential ticket of the PDP for this individual who has been funding their activities. If Makarfi continues to attack my person, I will be forced to reveal further details of their alliance.

    “Everybody in Nigeria knows this particular APC chieftain who wants to contest for president in 2019 on the platform of the PDP. So Makarfi should just shut up”.

    Sheriff had, earlier in the day, received a delegation of PDP chieftains from Plateau state who came to declare support for his leadership.

    The leader of the delegation, Dr. Haruna Dabin said the delegation decided to support Sheriff because he is the only one that can stop the culture of impunity in the PDP.

    Dabin said, “We have decided to stand with Sheriff on the path of truth and the rule of law. We are confident in his ability to heal the wounds in our party”

    The Plateau PDP chief said his group was short-hanged during the last congress held in the state, adding that winners in the congress were handpicked and imposed on the chapter.

    Responding, Sheriff assured them that the congress in Plateau would be revisited, with the view to correcting the mistakes of the past.

    “You cannot put nothing on nothing, so I will never associate myself with what is not right. I will make sure that PDP lives up to its name. So I will work hard to ensure that the right people are elected in Plateau and other states through fresh congresses.”

  • “Edo PDP smarting from political anxiety disorder”

    “Edo PDP smarting from political anxiety disorder”

    • Hails Odubu, Osunbor, Esele, Agbomhere others

    The Edo State Chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) may have been smarting from “political anxiety disorder” since the peaceful, free and fair primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which they had waited to benefit from but were soon disappointed, a statement endorsed by the Executive Director Media and Public Affairs, Governor’s Office said on Wednesday.

    It said, “The PDP thought they would reap from unresolved skirmishes resulting from the delegate elections of the APC but soon discovered that what unites the party is far greater than what divides. This is the disappointment convulsing the PDP and reeling it in political anxiety disorder.”

    The signed by Mr. John Mayaki said: “All our aspirants are the party men who know that it’s hard to oppose your own party’s nominee – in this case – the 2016 Governorship candidate of the APC – especially a well-prepared one at that.

    “I want to appreciate those who worsened their insomnia  – the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu – deserves great credit for his principled political stand for the party. Himself and other party luminaries who contested the primary election and bought into the result of the election and understand that they need to disappoint those who thought they would take their political careers to the dogs.

    “I commend Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor once more – just as Comrade Peter Esele and Chief Blessing Agbomhere. What about Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi and Bar. Kenneth Imansuagbon among others who sent out a strong signal about their genuine resolve to seek inclusion rather than division. They all acted sooner with great principle on a major moment, no one should miss – for the sake of the party”.

    “They have moved on”, Mayaki said. “This is in the spirit of equanimity and sportsmanship – this is remarkable and commendable. I believe their actions will advance the values of the party and the government of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who would needlessly alienate anyone – and the man who is now the face of the party in the state, Mr. Godwin Obaseki – who openly courted them and all they represent.

    “These are men who have staked their time, resources and connections for the party that has better ideas for Edo people and the future of Nigerians just as they know how healthy and right for them to look beyond today, into the future – as patriotic and productive citizens.

    “Of course, this is why the PDP is at a fix and its defenders irritate more than the party itself. People who are professional apologists for the atrocious things that brought this country to her knees, not until it was rescued from them. Today, they want to reap where they have not sown and this is the anxiety causing them political disorder – by September 10, a well-aimed kick in PDP’s rear end would have had a lasting rest,” Mayaki said.

  • Sheriff declares Edo PDP gov primaries illegal

    Sheriff declares Edo PDP gov primaries illegal

    The embattled National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali modu Sheriff has declared the party’s governorship primaries in Edo state illegal.

    The primaries, which were held by the Ahmed Makarfi led caretaker committee on Monday has been voided by Sheriff, saying the exercise was a contraption by an illegal care-taker committee.

    He has called on party members in the state to disregard the exercise.

    This was contained in a letter addressed to the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), signed by Sheriff and the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo.

    The duo urged INEC not to confer legitimacy on the Edo primaries, saying the party would conduct a proper exercise to nominate a candidate.

    Consequently, Sheriff has released a scheduled congress in the state to start from June 23rd-June 29th with the inauguration of a congress committee scheduled for Thursday.

    Sheriff warned state chapter chairmen and other officers of the party to desist from holding meetings with the Makarfi committee, stressing that such actions would attract sanctions.

    Sheriff has announced the appointment of some expired deputy national officers as members of the National Working Committee (NWC) in acting capacity.

    The appointments were meant to fill five vacancies created by the resignation of some NWC members, saying the appointments were in accordance with  the provisions of Sections 39(2), 42 (2), 43 (2), 44 (2) and 47 (6) of the party’s constitution.

    The newly appointed officers are Mr. Okey  Nnadozie – Acting National Organizing Secretary; Mr. Alonge-Niyi Dennis –Acting National Youth Leader; Mrs. Hannatu Ullam –Acting National Women Leader; and Mr. Bashir Maidugu –Acting National Legal Adviser.

    The appointments, he said, take immediate effect.

  • Fayose cries out over alleged freezing of account by EFCC

    Fayose cries out over alleged freezing of account by EFCC

    Indications have emerged on Monday that a personal account run by Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has been frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Fayose’s  personal account in the Zenith Bank, Ado Ekiti branch, was allegedly frozen on the order of the anti-graft agency,  a source in the bank confirmed last night.

    The development was later confirmed by a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi and a broadcast relayed on the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES).

    The governor who accused the Buhari administration of running a “selective anti-corruption crusade” alleged that the accounts of his political associates and followers were also frozen by the EFCC.

    He claimed that he was not informed that he had committed any offence because his account was frozen.

    Fayose, who had earlier  issued a counter-cheque to make withdrawal and was rejected by the bank, visited the Bank located at Onigari  , GRA in Ado Ekiti,  describing the action as criminal and illegal.

    The governor accused some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a prominent lawyer from the state of being the brains behind the action.

    While condemning the action, Fayose said under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, especially th‎e provisions contained in Section 308, he enjoys immunity and wondered why his personal properties should become the targets of Federal Government and it’s agencies under the guise of fighting corruption.

    “Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution gives me immunity just like the President. I wouldn’t know why these people are intolerant of others and in a haste. Let them wait till 2018 when I will end my tenure for them to do their investigati‎on. The other time the EFCC accused me of embezzling N1.2 billion poultry project fund, I was the one who voluntarily reported myself to the EFCC.

    “It was ‎when I got a hint of their move that I wrote a cheque to withdraw some money from the account and I came myself. I was denied access to the account as I was told the EFCC has placed restriction on it. That is executive rascality taken too far. Even when I had case with EFCC my properties were not affected.

    “If they say they are investigating money spent on election, does it mean it is only Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that spent money on election? A lot of people and groups supported my campaign then.

    “Where did APC and their leaders get the money they spent on 2015 general elections from? Now it is only in PDP that they find thieves, to them there are no theieves in the APC.

    “Even the President cannot claim to be an angel. The estate he built in Abuja is known to us. His wife was indicted over the Halliburton Scandal. When that American, Jefferson, was being sentenced, the President’s wife was mentioned as having wired $170,000 to Jefferson. Her name was on page 25 of the sentencing of Jefferson. We can serialize the judgment for people to see and read.

    “We will not allow this and we will defend our rights within the law of the land. Those who th‎ink they can silence me are mistaken. I am a person who is not perturbed by things like this.

    “Let them wait till 2018 when I will finish my term and I will be the one to go and meet them. I won’t run away and let them investigate the whole world, I have nothing to hide or fear,” he said.

    Fayose who vowed to  challenge the action appropriately.

  • Mimiko’s foreign trip: PDP critises APC

    Mimiko’s foreign trip: PDP critises APC

    The Ondo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state over its comments on the recent working visit to the United Kingdom (UK) in spite of the ongoing industrial action by workers in the state.

    A statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Ayo Fadaka said even though the workers strike is unfortunate,but such action is not restricted to Ondo State as the spate of industrial action is ignited by the poor understanding of economic management of the APC led Federal Government.

    PDP said: “It is widespread development across the nation as the factors responsible for it, here is a common development across the nation. It is instructive to declare that the insinuation concerning the Governor’s trip abroad in spite of the workers strike demonstrates clearly the poor understanding of the APC operatives on the workings of government.

    “The fact that the Governor embarked on a working visit does not in any manner indicate that the apparatus of governance equally took a walk.

    It explained that  while the Governor was away, the Commissioner for Finance was in Abuja in respect of the N14billion staggered loan the State is accessing to settle Workers salaries, the Deputy Governor equally attended a NEC meeting with the Vice President and the House of Assembly also sat to give approval to the Executive’s quest to get the aforementioned loan.

    The statement said”It is also germane that we emphatically declare for the umpteenth time that Governor’s trip to the United Kingdom was sponsored by the authorities of the Chattam House who also took care of his stay and feeding while he was their guest.

    “It was a working visit for the Governor who used the opportunity to enunciate the many achievements that have been recorded in our health sector, a factor that is responsible for his invitation in the first instance, and the need for the Governor to share this experience on a world platform.

    “It is germane to mention that the Ondo model in health care will be of help in many developing nations since it has been made public in a cathedral of policy formulations that the Chattam House represents”.

    PDP said the APC operatives in the State should learn a lesson in playing opposition, saying” It is our sincere opinion that it should constructively criticize developments in our State without being outlandish and pedestrian.

    “The claim that the Governor lives in opulence in the Government House is the kind of cheap talk that reigns in a drinking joint,they should learn how to logically proffer the other view without being petty and it is only when they do this that they will attract the attention of the people.”

    It maintained that the APC current stance of peddling abuses on the person of Governor Mimiko confirms their limitations, manners, quality of upbringing and ability to efficaciously play an opposition’s role.

  • We won’t withdraw suits until PDP follows its constitution – Chieftain

    We won’t withdraw suits until PDP follows its constitution – Chieftain

    A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Chief Akintayo Akin-deko, Thursday insisted that he would not withdraw his court case against the national leadership of the party until the leaders follow the constitution of the party in selecting leaders and in taking other decisions.

    Akin-Deko and some other party members filed a suit against the party’s national convention held in Port-Harcourt last month and another slated for Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    He explained that only the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party can decide the processes for decisions, not governors or any other group of powerful individuals.

    He said this in his Ibadan home Thursday when former President Olusegun Obasanjo paid a private visit to the matriarch of the Akin-deko family, Chief Ebun Akin-deko.

    The PDP chieftain said: “I’m one of the people who went to court to stop the conventions at Port-Harcourt and Abuja, insisting that the party must follow its own constitution. The problem started in 2011 when some people especially from the South south insisted that former president Goodluck Jonathan should run for a second term. That impunity has been continuing since then and came to a head when the governors decided that they were going to impose Alh. Alli Modu Sherif on us. The grassroots members are resisting it thoroughly, that Alhaji Sherif cannot be there and that governors cannot impose a chairman on the party. Only the BoT can constitute the party’s working committee. Alh. Ahmed Makarfi is an excellent man. Fortunately, he is also a member of the BoT. Fortunately, he is a former governor. So, he is the bridge that the BoT will use to stop this madness that is going on right now where people are invading our Abuja secretariat as if we are going back to the old days of Wild, Wild West. Unfortunately, they are attacking themselves needlessly over an issue of principles.”

    He insisted that the suits would go on until the party sticks to its constitution.

    “We have insisted we will not remove that case from court until the party follows the path of the constitution. Nobody can walk in from the streets, from another party and try to impose themselves on those of us that have been patient for so many years to recover our party. Once the party elders, the founding fathers, have structured an agreement, then we will withdraw the cases from court,” he said.

    Akin-deko, however, believes that the crisis rocking the national leadership of the party would be resolved in a matter of days.

    On allegation that the PDP crisis is being sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC), he rather blamed the former for opening itself up for alleged attacks from other parties and even from disgruntled members.

    “If there is no rule of law in the country, anybody can pick up something tomorrow and start anarchy. That is what is going on in the PDP now. They must go back and observe the rule of law,” He insisted.

    On why Obasanjo visited the family, Akin-deko explained that the former president, who was a close friend of his late father, Chief Gabriel Akin-deko, came to see Mrs Akin-deko to ascertain her well-being in another step to ensure that the 92-year old woman was still in good condition after the sad incident in which two of her grandchildren died in an accident in Iyabo Obasanjo’s car about 13 years ago.

    Since that incident, Akin-deko said the former president has been finding time once in a while to see the Mama to ascertain her well-being.

    The late Chief Akin-deko was a Minister of Agriculture.