The Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that its former national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and his cohorts are determined to destroy the PDP on the ground of a misconstrued court orders.
The party leadership stated this on Wednesday in a statement signed by Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Member, National Caretaker Committee (Publicity) in a swift respond to Sheriff’s letter to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmoud Yakubu on a purported orders by Justice Okon Abang, making him the authentic chairman of the PDP.
The Makarfi faction insist that Justice Abang’s orders, which Sheriff is relying on is a mere narrative case and that the justice did not set aside or nullified the judgment of Justice Liman which it said authenticated the resolutions of the May 21 National Convention in Port Harcourt.
The party which insisted that Sheriff remained sacked as chairman following the judgment of Justice Valeri Arshi, said that judgment is yet to be vacated. It stated further that the National Convention that removed Sheriff is superior to any other organ of the party.
While alleging that Sheriff is acting a destructive script of his paymasters, the party called on the INEC to disregard Sheriff’s letters, saying Sheriff’s tenure now belongs to the “garbage bin”.
The statement entitled: Re: Senator Sheriff’s Letter to INEC….The Law and the Facts, reads, “The latest attempt by the former National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and his cohorts is not only to scuttle the forthcoming National Convention but also another clear evidence of his determination to destroy the PDP. The law and the facts are as follows:
“The ruling of Justice Okon Abang which Ali Modu Sheriff is relying on is a mere narrative of the Case before the Federal High Courts in Lagos and in Port Harcourt Divisions. It does not set aside or nullified the Judgment of Justice Liman which has authenticated the May 21st National Convention and the Resolutions emanating therefrom.
“The ruling did not anywhere direct INEC to do anything or not to do anything, to discharge or not to discharge any obligation; to perform any function or not to perform any function.
“In essence, it is a mere legal tale and the Order having been made without any application before him by either of the Parties has no foundation in law.
“Hon. Justice Valerie Arshi had in a Judgment nullified the appointment of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as Chairman of the Party. That Judgment has not been set aside. It is still valid and subsisting. And no Court of Coordinate Jurisdiction including the Federal High Court can make any other Order with the intention of rendering that Judgment ineffective.
“The National Convention which held in Port Harcourt on May 21st 2016 which resolutions were confirmed by Justice Liman of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on July 4, 2016 dissolved the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the National Working Committee (NWC) and affirmed the National Caretaker Committee as the Supreme body to run the affairs of the Party until another Convention was held within 90 days.
“That being the case, it was therefore the last Convention that in fact convened the forthcoming one slated for August 17, 2016, and not the National Caretaker Committee parse. The National Convention is superior to all other Organs of the Party.
“We call on INEC to disregard the letter from the former National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and his cohorts. It belongs to the garbage bin. He is merely acting the script of his paymasters. The Caretaker Committee will continue with its dogged determination to organize the best National Convention in the history of our great Party.
