LIVE UPDATE: Supreme Court rules on PDP leadership tussle

The Supreme Court will today (Wednesday) decide on the authentic leadership of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.

The contest is between the Ali Sheriff, who was purportedly removed at the party’s May 21 2016 convention, and the national caretaker committee chaired by Ahmed Makarfi.‎

While the Makarfi faction enjoys the support of most of the organs of the PDP, the Sheriff faction was declared the authentic leadership by the Court of Appeal.

Many members of the PDP including former governors and current lawmakers have since decamped from the party, citing the division in its leadership as reason.

The pronouncement of the Supreme Court today is expected to‎ finally resolve the leadership crisis.

PREMIUM TIMES brings you live updates from the Supreme Court.

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There is a heavy presence of armed security operatives at the Three arm zone etrance to the apex court

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By 8:36 a.m., the court room was already filled to the brim.

Members and supporters of the Makarfi caretaker committee arrive the courtroom.

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9:03a.m. Supreme Court justices led by Justice Rhodes Vivour enters court room

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9:33 a.m Justice Rhodes Vivour is now reading the judgements as it relates to the various applications.

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9:43a.m He said the judgement did not declare the conduct of the PDP national convention as illegal.

“The national convention did not violate any court orders,” he said‎.

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9:46a.m Reading the judgement, Justice Vivour explains how the national conventional should not have been disregarded by the appeal court.

The subject matter concerns Article 33 of PDP constitution which states:

There shall be a national convention…

All members of the party shall be bound by the decisions of leaders from the National convention.

Article 33 states the supremacy of the National convention.

Article 35 allows for the deputy national chairman.

Article 47 states the party may remove the National leader after two years.

May is not the same thing as shall, the judge said. A national officer can be removed without a vote of no confidence.

There can be no doubt that the National convention has enormous powers over the party.

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday sacked Ali Sheriff as the National Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

The court also declared Ahmed Makarfi, the caretaker committee chairman, as the authentic leader of the PDP, Nigeria’s largest opposition party.