The Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party has said it would appeal Friday’s Appeal Court judgement declaring Ali Modu Sheriff as the authentic national chairman.
It also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of manipulating the victory in favour of Mr. Sheriff.
The faction stated this through the PDP Twitter handle @OfficialPDPNig shortly after the judgment.
The Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, Division, had declared Mr. Sheriff the authentic chairman of the party.
Three justices presided over the case. While Justice B. G. Sanga and Justice A.A, Gumel ruled in favour of Mr. Sheriff, Justice T.S. Orji-Abadua ruled in favour of Mr. Makarfi.
“The Judgment has finally shown that the ruling Party, the APC is out to create a one-party state in the country,” the Makarfi faction tweeted immediately after the court ruling.
“The party is proceeding immediately to the Supreme Court to file an appeal against the ruling of today’s appeal court judgment.”
Also speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, said the party believed in the ability of the judiciary to do justice to the matter
He appealed to members and supporters of the party to remain calm and should not take laws into their hands.
Crisis broke out in the PDP last May 21 when Mr. Sheriff, a former governor of Borno State, was removed as the national chairman at a national convention in Port Harcourt.
The party then and appointed the caretaker committee led by Mr. Markarfi, a former governor of Kaduna State.
The committee was mandated to organise a fresh convention within 90 days to elect national officers of the party.
No fewer than four lower courts in Rivers State and Abuja had given judgements on the leadership crisis in the main opposition party in the country before the matter was brought before the Court of Appeal.
Sheriff not a threat
Meanwhile, the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Walid Jubrin, has said that the Appeal Court’s confirmation of Mr. Sheriff would not threaten the party.
Reacting to the judgment Mr. Jubril said the judgment would bring the party members together.
The BoT chairman, who was speaking to journalists in Abuja ,expressed confidence in the judiciary, but said that the party would go to any length to resolve the leadership tussle.
Mr. Jubrin urged PDP members to be calm and not defect to other political parties, saying that the party was consulting with its various organs to ensure that it remained strong.
Such organs, according to him, include PDP former and serving governors, senators, House of Representatives members, former and serving ministers, chairmen of state chapters, the youths and the women.
He assured that the party would come out with a statement about the judgment by Tuesday.
“I am sure that very soon everybody will smile. Those who are crying today will laugh.
“Those who are disturbed and worried will smile and PDP will one day become one party as we know it.
“All these is a question of time,’’ Mr. Jubrin said.
