The majority of chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have, once again, declared that the party is united, strong, resolute, steadfast and solid, under the leadership of the National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi. They noted that the Court of Appeal is not the final court on the ongoing matter on Senator Ali Modu Sherrif’s mission to take over the party, at its National Convention held at Port Harcourt on May 21, 2016.

The party disclosed this in a communique issued after a meeting of its stakeholders held on Monday, adding that all members, leaders and organs of the party, including but not limited to the Board of Trustees, the Governor’s forum, the National Assembly Caucus, PDP former Ministers forum, National Vice Chairmen, State Chapters represented by the Conference of State Party Chairmen, Leadership of State Assembly Caucuses and teeming members nationwide.

According to the communique, “PDP members freely and clearly expressed themselves on the 21st May 2016 at the Port Harcourt National Convention and we stand by the decision given that the National Convention is the highest decision-making organ of the party.”

News Express recalls that the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt in FHC/PH/CS/524/2016 PDP & ORS. Vs. SHERRIF & ORS in its judgment endorsed the decisions of the May 21, 2016 National Convention, holding that the Convention did not violate any extant Order of the Courts or any provisions of the Party’s or Country’s Constitution.

Also on the 17th February 2017, the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt in a split decision in CA/PH/349/2016 SHERRIF & ORS. VS. PDP & ORS nullified the decision of the National Convention of 21st May 2016 and reinstated the Sherrif-led National Working Committee.

While the party holds the judiciary in the highest regard, the decision of the aforementioned Court of Appeal was greeted with consternation not only amongst leaders and members of the party in Nigeria but also true lovers of democracy in Nigeria and the world over;

The stakeholders and leaders of the party therefore resolved that it fully endorses the prompt and proactive decision of the National Caretaker Committee to lodge an appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria against the decision of the Court of Appeal as well as file an application for INJUCTION PENDING APPEAL.

The party lamented that the faith in the capacity of the judiciary to protect Nigeria’s democracy and political aspirations of the Nigerian people, particularly at the level of the Supreme Court, proven repeatedly over time, is aided by the profound, fearless, irrepressible, comprehensive and insightful minority decision of T. N. Orji-Abadua, J. C. A. in CA/PH/349/2016 SHERRIF & ORS. VS. PDP & ORS., whom the party salute for doing the judiciary proud in spite of the predatory interferences of anti-democratic forces and State actors.

The party also agreed that having duly filed both an appeal to the Supreme Court and an application for Injunction Pending Appeal in the morning of Monday, February 20, 2017, passed a resounding and unqualified vote of confidence in the leadership of the Sen. Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of PDP.

It also pledged its unalloyed support to it as it pilots the affairs of the party in this critical transitional period of the party’s life.

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