Sheriff bent on running PDP, heads to court to stop convention

The determination of embattled former national chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ali Modu Sheriff to control the reins of the party seems epic, as he is not backing down.

This is as a Federal High Court in Abuja, will today (Thursday) sit on the application for an interlocutory injunction seeking to stop the party from going ahead with its planned national convention, filed by the Sheriff-faction of the national leadership of PDP.

The nine plaintiffs said they filed the suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/464/2016 for themselves and on behalf of the Executive Committee/National Working Committee of the PDP.

They are Sheriff as the National Chairman; Prof. Wale Oladapo (National Secretary); Dennis Alonge-Niyi (Deputy National Youth Leader); Alhaji Bashir Maidugu (Deputy National Legal Advier); Mrs. Hanatu Ulam (Deputy National Women Leader); Alhaji Lawa Dutsima Anchi (Deputy National Auditor); Chief Okey Nnadozie (Deputy National Organising Secretary); and Chief Olia Metuh (National Publicity Secretary).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP are the defendants in the suit.

Sheriff and his group filed the substantive suit on July 4, 2016. They are contending that, by virtue of the PDP’s Constitution, they must remain in office till 2018, urging the court to declare all moves aimed at removing, replacing or conducting fresh elections into their offices as illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void.

Sherriff’s faction, had July 20 filed an interlocutory application, challenging the power of the Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee, to fix a date for the national convention of the party.

Read also: Bode George gets Lagos PDP nod for national chairman

It asked the court presided over by Justice Okon Abang, to stop the party from going ahead with the planned national convention slated to hold in Port Harcourt, pending the determination of their substantive suit.

The court on Tuesday granted the plaintiffs order to have their case heard during the Federal High Court’s ongoing vacation.

Justice Abang, in granting the plaintiff’s ex parte motion on Tuesday, held that the case deserves “to be heard during the vacation by the judge nominated by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court. But whether it will succeed is another issue entirely.”

He then fixed Thursday for the hearing of the motion, instructing that the two defendants, INEC and the PDP are served with the hearing notice.

By Ebere Ndukwu …

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