State Chapter Chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 29 States of the Federation has maintained that they are solidly behind the National Caretaker Committee of the party led by Ahmed Makarfi.
The chairmen debunked a purported declaration of loyalty and support to the former National Chairman of the PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff by the Borno State PDP Chapter Chairman, Shehu Shettima.
In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, Yahaya Y. Suleiman, PDP Chairman in FCT and Chairman of PDP State Chairmen, said “I wish to state on behalf of the State Chapter Chairmen of the PDP in 29 States of the Federation, that our unflinching and unalloyed loyalty and maximum support remains with the Party, led by Makarfi’s National Caretaker Committee.”
He further said, “Our loyalty is first and foremost to the Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and to the National Caretaker Committee which is a product of the Party’s highest decision making Organ, the National Convention that held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and also affirmed by the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on the 4th of July, 2016.”
Suleiman added stressed that, “My position which represents that of 29 out of 30 chairmen of our Party in the state where congresses held during the last State Congresses is that, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must first of all survive before we can remain Chairmen in our respective States. So, our loyalty is first to the PDP and then to the National Caretaker Committee which is approved, constituted and appointed by the PDP’s National Convention; and upheld by a Court of competent Jurisdiction.
“Any of our member or members pitching tent with the former National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff should know that the interest of the Party is supreme, paramount and bigger than any personal or parochial interest. This is why we are also pledging our maximum support to the PDP leadership to dislodge and uproot the APC in Edo State come Saturday, September 10, 2016.
“The PDP have only one Candidate in Edo State, and his name is Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and that is already confirmed by the Court Judgment in Port Harcourt, on the 4th of July, 2016 which also made INEC to accept him as the PDP Flag-bearer. We are all queuing behind him and his running mate to provide the necessary dividends of democracy to the people of the State that have been impoverished in the last 71/2 years of the APC’s Administration.
“We wish to therefore advise anyone hanging on to a non-existing Court Judgment or Order on Thursday, 28th of July 2016 by Justice Okon Abang to desist from doing so. Any such person or persons are only working to destroy the PDP and playing the script of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
“We still wonder why people are claiming that there was a Court Judgment or Order by Justice Okon Abang of an Abuja Federal High Court against the PDP, its proposed National Convention or the National Caretaker Committee. What took place in Court on Thursday which has been properly explained by our Party and our legal team is that, Justice Okon Abang only denied the PDP’s legal representation by trying to accept the Counsel presented by the Plaintiff, which is Sen. Sheriff and Co., and at the same time, allowing Senator Sheriff who is a Plaintiff to present Counsel for the Defendant in the Case, which is PDP. The matter is adjourned for hearing on the 15th of August 2016; and the PDP as a law abiding Party is Appealing that decision of Justice Okon Abang. So, no Order or Judgment was given in favour of Senator Sheriff making him the National Chairman of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party.
“We wish to also remind Nigerians of subsisting Court Judgments of June 29, 2016 by Justice Valentine Ashi of FCT High Court that nullified the Amendments to the PDP Constitution in 2014 which Senator Sheriff claimed produced his predecessor, H.E. Amadu Adamu Mu’azu, thereby nullifying Sheriff as National Chairman. The Judgment of July 4, 2016 which specifically ruled in favour of the PDP National Caretaker Committee also nullified Senator Sheriff as Chairman of the PDP and Justice Okon Abang cannot sit on an Appeal to hear the Case brought before his Court by Senator Sheriff and Co when the matter is before a higher Court, the Court of Appeal.
“We are again taken aback to hear that a matter already before a Court of Appeal can be heard by the Federal High Court. Why will the Honourable Judge, Justice Okon Abang ridicule himself and the Judiciary to this level, more so when one of the Plaintiff in the Case, Chief Olisa Metuh, the former National Publicity Secretary, announced his removal stating that he was not even consulted before including his name as a Plaintiff in the Case. This is indeed a clear show of desperation by those who added his name in the Case without his consent. We are watching the Judiciary and the world is also watching what the APC is using Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to do to the only viable opposition Party in Nigeria.
“We wish to once again declare that since the matter in Appeal Court has not been decided, Senator Sheriff has no power to file any case in Court as ‘National Chairman’ of the PDP because a competent Court has already sacked him as Chairman of PDP in all its Judgments.
“Finally, we call on our members nationwide to continue keeping faith with the PDP and support the Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s led National Caretaker Committee and be focused on the preparation towards the forthcoming National Convention of the Party in Port Harcourt, Rivers State holding on the 17th of August, 2016.”
