A five-man Supreme Court panel few hours ago upturned the judgement of an appellate court that validated former Borno State governor Ali Modu Sheriff as the substantial national chairman of Nigeria’s main opposition party, People’s Democratic Party.
In the unanimous judgement read by Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, the court reinstated former Kaduna State governor Ahmed Makearfi as the leader of the party.
The court held that the Portharcourt, May 21, 2016, convention of the PDP which removed Sheriff was legally constituted and acted within the bounds of the party’s constitution
Sheriff expressed shock at the Supreme Court’s penultimate Wednesday ruling that handed the reins of the party to his rival, Ahmed Makarfi.
In a signed statement by the former spokesperson for his faction, Mr. Bernard Mikko, he has said he is still awaiting details of the judgement.
The statement read, “We received with shock the 12th July judgement of the Supreme Court on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“Though we still await the full written judgement of the highest court from our lawyers who will fully brief us on the details of the judgement. In the interim, we ask all members and supporters to remain steadfast in prayers for Nigeria.
“Meanwhile, we continue with our avowed demands that the party must be given back to the owners at the grassroots to always elect their party officials and those to contest elections for them at all levels. Internal democracy must be institutionalized in the party.”
The judgement was read by Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, who accused Sheriff of displaying “infantile desperation to cling to office at all cost”.
In addition to the judgement, the court also awarded the sum of N200,000 against Sheriff, as well as Prof. Wale Oladipo who was the party’s National Secretary under him.
Sheriff had been installed as the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) chairman in an acting capacity until he was replaced with Makarfi during the party’s 2016 National Convention
