Wahala: PDP crisis worsens as court endorses Sheriff

The crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP worsened yesterday after the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt sacked the Senator Ahmed Makarfi led National Caretaker Committee which enjoys the support of the mainstream of the party and its organs.

 The Appellate Court by a 2-1 majority affirmed that the party offended its own constitution in the way and manner it sacked the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff led executive and in the disobedience of court orders against the holding of the May 21 Port- Harcourt Convention.

The court asked that the party should return to the status quo.

Sheriff and Makarfi Yesterday’s decision followed the earlier judgments by the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt that endorsed the action of the Port-Harcourt convention in enthroning Senator Makarfi and members of his National Caretaker Committee.

The judgment given by Justice Mohammed Liman also specifically barred Senator Sheriff from parading himself as the national chairman of the party.

Sheriff had upon that judgment appealed the decision to the Court of Appeal which last November after hearing the briefs from the counsels to the two parties reserved judgment which was given yesterday.

The lead judgment was supported by Justices Bitrus Sanga and Abubakar Muhammed. Justice Abadua Orji in her minority judgment, however, differed saying that the National Convention being the highest organ of the party was sufficiently empow- ered to take the decisions in the best interest of the party adding that Sheriff having presented himself for screening at the national constitution could not turn around to abort the process.

Justice Sanga who read the lead judgment yesterday said: “The way the executive of the party was removed on May 21, it is clear that the provisions of the party’s constitution were not followed. The appellants were not put on notice. The court will not close its eyes against illegality.