LAGOS FEBRUARY 17TH (URHOBOTODAY)- Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has declared that it will appeal the judgement of the Supreme Court sitting in Port Harcourt which validated Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the authentic Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
It described the ruling of the Appeal Court on the leadership tussle rocking the party which favoured the Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction as a “disgrace to Nigerian democracy.
The ruling came as a split decision saw two of three judges rule in favour of Sheriff while the other judge delivered judgement against Sheriff, who is a former governor of Borno State.
The appellate court set aside the judgement by Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, which recognized former Kaduna governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi as the leader of the PDP.
Sheriff and Makarfi have been leading separate factions of the main opposition party since the botched national convention of the PDP in the Rivers state capital in May 2016.
Justice Liman had sacked Sheriff as chairman of the PDP, while the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Okon Abang declared Ahmed Makarfi’s caretaker committee as illegal.
On account of the conflicting judgments at the lower courts, both parties went to the Court of Appeal to seek redress.
Makarfi challenged Abang’s ruling at the Abuja division of the Appeal Court, but the court could not take a decision because Sheriff had already filed an appeal challenging his removal by the Federal High Court in Rivers.
The Spokesman of Makarfi PDP faction, Prince Joseph Adeyeye while briefing journalists in Port-Harcourt immediately after the ruling alleged that two out of the three Justices that delivered the judgement read a script written by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) neglecting to consider all the issues relevant to the case.
Adeyeye said: “We are disappointed with the Appeal Court Judgement. The lead judgement is very wrong. The issues were not considered. It is a disgrace not only to PDP but to Nigerian Democracy as a whole. It is a miscarriage of justice.
“Two out of the 3 man Justices of the Appeal Court gave a scanty judgment in favour of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff while one for Makarfi. The one that spoke in favour of Makarfi considered all the issues. She was thorough. In fact, it took the Justice three times the total time it took the other two Justices to deliver their judgement.
“The Judgment has finally shown that the ruling Party, the APC is out to create a one party state in the country.
“Certainly, we are proceeding immediately to the Supreme Court to file an appeal against the ruling of today’s appeal court judgment.”