Two out of the three members of the Panel held that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is the legitimate Chairman of the Party, while one, in a minority Judgement held that he has no business being Chairman of the Party.
It would be recalled that Senators Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff had tested the legal waters in several courts in Nigeria (Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt), with each getting favourable orders and directives with the attendant effect on stability in the party.
Both Makarfi and Sheriff have been operating from satellite offices, following the closure of the national headquarters of the party at Wadata Plaza in Abuja.
The crisis in the PDP has divided the party in many states where Makarfi and Sheriff share the loyalty of members.
It has also incapacitated the PDP, thereby making it incapable of actively playing the role of opposition in the country.
Meanwhile, Senator Ahmed Muhammad Makarfi has describedruling of the Court of Appeal which gave judgment in favour of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as a temporary set-back.
Addressing newsmen in his Kaduna residence in reaction to the ruling, Makarfi stressed that his party would overcome this set back politically and legally and would come out of it stronger and bigger.
“We have utmost respect for the judiciary. So we are not going to take the laws into our hands. We might not agree with the judgment but there is a process and procedure if you did not agree with something.
“As an individual, I cannot decide for the party until the party stakeholders meet and take a definite decision.
“The party will meet on Monday to take a decision of the Court of Appeal Judgement. Every person concerned had been notified. The governors, members of the National Assembly, members of the Board of trustees and Party officials.”
He therefore called on party members to remain calm, urging them to remember that PDP is in opposition. “We have to accept this temporary set-back,” he reiterated.
He maintained that since he took over the party, the party had done a lot of things to remain afloat, pointing out, “We will not allow opposition to be killed. We must strive to ensure that we survive for the sake of democracy and the country.
Asked if on Monday, the Ali Modu sheriff faction might occupied the party secretariat based on the judgment, he said he is not in position to tell the world what Sheriff will do.
However, he would be surprised if the security will allow him (Sheriff) access to the party secretariat.
“When a court ruled in our favour sometimes ago, we were not allowed to occupy the secretariat. So, we are going to see what happens this time around.” [myad]
