At last, Makarfi triumphs

-Sheriff desperate for power

– Supreme Court Change the change on course

 – PDP Senators Return to fold, Jonathan urges defectors

-Justice at its best – Ex-ministers

 -Victory won’t aff ect our fortunes – APC

By Vivian Okejeme, Bode Olagoke, Emeka Nze and Taiye Odewale, Abuja

About two years after it lost its bearing to provide a vibrant opposition to the All Progressives Congressled government, the Peoples Democratic Party, appears to have bounced back with the Supreme Court putting an end to the party’s internal wrangling. In a judgement described in some quarters as landmark, the apex court, ruled that the party’s National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff of engaging in forum shopping and “displayed infantile desperation to cling to offi ce at all cost”.

It, therefore, upheld the choice of national chairman of the party’s caretaker committee, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi as the authentic PDP leader. In declaring the Makarfi group the rightful leadership, the Supreme Court set aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, which had declared Sheriff as the duly elected party leader. Justice Bode Rhodes Vivour, who read the judgement of the three-man panel, held that the appeal had merit and was subsequently allowed, and also awarded a cost of N250, 000 against the fi rst respondent.

In the judgement, the court held that the PDP National Convention held on May 21, 2016, was validly convened and in line with the party’s Constitution, and also agreed with the appellant that the Convention is the Supreme organ which controls every other organs of the party. Besides, it ruled that the National Convention acted within the party’s constitution, and was in order to have set up a caretaker committee upon dissolving the party’s National Executive Committee.

It further noted that the dissolution of NEC was in order since the National Deputy Chairman, Uche Secondus presided. Th e panel unanimously expressed worry that Sheriff submitted himself to the National Convention by seeking election to the offi ce of the national chairman with half-fi lled nomination form, but was screened out. Th e court further held that going by the report of the electoral screening committee, Sheriff was disqualifi ed on the grounds that he had no PDP membership card; he also failed to produce a three year tax clearance and voter card as required by law.

Th e lead judgement further noted that immediately the ousted party leader was screened out by the electoral committee, he sought to cancel the election and that when the attempt failed; he resorted to court actions as part of desperate attempts to perpetuate himself in offi ce. Moreover, the apex court noted that in the process, Sheriff fi led 10 suits in diff erent courts within one year, but stated that the suits would “end up gathering dust in the judicial archives” of the courts. He admonished politicians to stop engaging in “forum shopping” and that heads of courts should always assign cases of the same nature and content to a single judge in order to avoid getting confl icting judgements.

Although Sheriff was absent at the court, his deputy, Cairo Ojugbo, was present but stepped out midway into the ruling, and shunned reporters’ inquiries. Among the party’s bigwigs at the Supreme Court are Markafi , Senator Ben Obi, Bode George, Dayo Adeyeye, Jerry Gana, former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Austin Opara, and Olisah Metuh. Th e rest are Governors Nyesome Wike of Rivers state and Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state, as well as former governors of Kano state, Ibrahim Shekarau and Sule Lamido of Jigawa state. Makarfi ’s counsel reacts Reacting to the judgement, Counsel to Ahmed Markafi , Kanu Agabi, said, “this is Supreme Court.

Th ey have the fi nal say and the judgement is correct. Th ey are brothers and sisters and no one is rejoicing over each other. Th ey should go by the rules and support each other, reconcile with the judgement, with one another and work together to move the party forward.” Eff orts to get either Sheriff , his counsel or any leader of their rested faction failed, as calls put through to Ojugbo by Blueprint were successful but not responded to. However, when he did, the party leader said he would call back, which he never did as at the time of going to the press.

Jonathan begs defectors In a reaction, former President Goodluck Jonathan called on all PDP members who left to return to their natural home and build the party. While noting that there is no victor, no vanquished, he urged Makarfi ‘s leadership not to see victory as being for a section of the party but as a moral victory of constitutionality over arbitrariness. Positing on his twitter handle, @GEJonathan, the former president said, “As I congratulate the Ahmed Makarfi -led Caretaker Committee, I strongly urge them not to see this as a victory of a section of the party. “I believe in our jurists. We may have issues with some individuals but the Nigerian judiciary deserves respect and commendation. Today’s verdict is a judgment where there are no winners or losers.

It is a verdict that will bring our party together. “As I congratulate the Ahmed Makarfi -led Caretaker Committee, I strongly urge them not to see this as a victory of a section of the party but as a moral victory of constitutionality over arbitrariness. “Th us, they must take inspiration from General Yakubu Gowon and declare a ‘no victor and no vanquished policy’. “I hereby call on all those who left the party because of its leadership issues to return to their natural home and build the PDP.

“Th e PDP is an inclusive vehicle not an exclusive one. We see Nigerians as human beings deserving of the rule of law, separation of powers and a free market economy that provides a level-playing ground for all.

“Th e party that gave Nigeria the largest economy in Africa is a party whose heart is large enough to fi nd a place for all Nigerians. I thank God for this day of Justice and may God bless Nigeria. GEJ.” Party back on course – Senators And in the euphoria of the ruling, the PDP senators, have declared that ‘the change the change agenda of the party’ is now fi rmly on course. Th e lawmakers, whose number rose to 43 following the swearing in of Senator Ademola Adeleke (Osun West), made the declaration while addressing the press on the apex court judgement.

Immediate past Senate President, Senator David Mark who specifi cally made the declaration, said the ruling “has no doubt provided the needed elixir for the change the change agenda of the party ahead of the 2019 elections “Th e ruling to every lover of the party should be seen as one of no victor, no vanquished, as a victory for democracy, and that has made the change the change agenda of PDP to be truly on course”, he said.

PDP ex-ministers Similarly, the Forum of exPDP Ministers, has described the Supreme Court verdict as a victory for PDP. Spokesman of the group and former Minister, National Planning, Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, said, “the Supreme Court ruling is a victory for PDP, for democracy and indeed for Nigerians as a whole. “My position that Sheriff ’s ascendancy as chairman of our party was a disaster has been demonstrated by the woes brought unto us in the last one year.

Th is is justice at its best. “It is now up to our members to do the needful, strengthen the bond of unity and allow internal democracy to sway. .“We cannot aff ord to fail this country. I hope the Makarfi caretaker would swing into action and liaise with other critical organs of our party to organise credible convention and congresses across board.” It’s no threat – APC Meanwhile, the governing APC has declared the ruling won’t in any way aff ect its fortunes. National Chairman of the party, Chief John OdigieOyegun, who stated this in a telephone chat with our reporter, said the PDP has always been together, but just that the main opposition party broke into factions. Asked whether the judgement won’t aff ect APC’s fortunes, Oyegun said: “it wouldn’t.

Th ey have always been together. It was just that they had one faction against the other. Th ere is no way it would aff ect the fortunes of APC. We welcome the ruling and the party and we expect it to do its function.” Also reacting, APC National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the victory meant nothing to APC “Th e outcome of the court ruling has no signifi cance for us. However, now that they have resolved their crisis, we will now have a virile democracy

Leave a Reply