We’re going ahead with our National Convention despite court ruling – Makarfi

The immediate past National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, has dissociated himself from a suit seeking to stop the party’s national convention billed to hold in Port Harcourt on August Seventeen. The Lagos Division made orders on May 12 and 20, forbidding the PDP from removing the Sheriff-led Caretaker Committee.

In a ruling on Thursday, Justice Okon Abang said the May 21 convention was illegal and that Makarfi’s committee was unlawfully constituted.

We are equally calling on Nigerians and the worldwide community to compel Nigeria Judiciary to address Justice Abang’s excesses before he kills our hard earned democracy.

“He has penchant for abuse of court processes and actions of legal impunity”.

The application had meant to prevent elections of new party leaders at the May 21 convention.

Sheriff and eight other former national officers of the court had approached the court to stop the party from going ahead with the planned national convention scheduled for Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on August 17.

Justice Abang upheld the appointment of Olagoke Fakunle having been appointed to represent PDP by the Ali Modu sheriff led committee.

However, the caretaker committee had reacted, saying the court ruling was misinterpreted as it did not set aside the Port Harcourt ruling that instituted the committee.

He urged politicians to desist from creating confusion for judges.

According to the party, “what Justice Okon Abang did today is to Seat on an Appeal over the Court of competent and coordinate jurisdiction and that’s what makes his Interlocutory Order very unusual”.

He therefore ruled that the decision of Mr. Obi to ask for adjournment rather than respond to the question posed to him was not meritorious and therefore his prayer for adjournment refused.

“Consequently, any action taken by the Markafi-led Committee, including the purported mandate for legal representation in this matter is hereby declared illegal”.

According to a statement by the spokesperson of the committee, Dayo Adeyeye, the judgement delivered by Justice Abang was a deliberate act to frustrate the country’s democracy.

He added that being law-abiding, the caretaker committee would apply for a stay of execution of the order and also appeal it.

The court also adjourned to August 15 to rule on the application to join other executive members of the Makarfi led committee in the fresh suit filed by Sen.

The plaintiffs had filed the substantive suit on July 4, 2016, contending that that by virtue of the PDP’s Constitution, they must remain in office till 2018.