PDP convention not stopped by Abuja High Court – Makarfi

The Senator Ahmed Makarfiled National Caretaker Committee said the judgment of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, which affirmed its leadership, has not been nullified or declared illegal by any court. Addressing newsmen yesterday in Abuja, the spokesman of the Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye said: “the motion seeking to restrain the PDP from conducting the proposed August 17, 2016 national convention has not been heard by the court and no date has been fixed for the hearing.”

Speaking on behalf of Senator Makarfi, he said the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, only entertained the issue of who was the authentic counsel for the PDP between Ferdinand Orbih, (SAN), and O. O. Fakunle (SAN).

Elucidating what transpired in the court last Tuesday, Prince Adeyeye quoted Justice Okon Abang of the Abuja Federal High Court as saying: “Though I have powers to nullify the decision of the Port Harcourt division that recognised Makarfi leadership, I will not do so because there is no application to that effect before me. I will, however allow the Court of Appeal to do justice to that.”

However, the factional chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff told newsmen yesterday, in Abuja, that he would convene an expanded national caucus meeting and roll-out his programme for the party next week, insisting he remains the authentic party chairman.

He also said he would take over the party’s national secretariat same week, adding that he was abiding by the law that was why he had been operating outside the secretariat, which is currently being sealed by policemen.

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Board of Trustees, (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin yesterday insisted the scheduled national convention of the party will hold despite Thursday’s court judgment recognising Senator Ali ModuSheirff as its national chairman. He said this was because the judgment was silent on the convention and only made pronouncement on the issue of the national chairman.

Jibrin who spoke with newsmen in Kaduna said the party backed by the BoT was determined to carry on with the national convention in order to reposition the party to win all the forthcoming elections.