The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, told a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, that former acting National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, was validly removed by the legally constituted May 21, 2016 National Convention of the party held in Port Harcourt.
The PDP told the court that the Caretaker Committee of the party headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi was duly appointed in line with the Constitution of the party.
The party stated that the National Convention was convened by the National Executive Committee headed by the former National Acting Chairman, Senator Sheriff, who himself participated in pre-convention events including his participation in the screening exercise.
Making the submission on behalf of the PDP before the trial judge, JusticeAbdullahi Liman, counsel to the party, Oladejo Laminkanra, SAN, argued that: “Modu Sheriff submitted himself for screening at the Port Harcourt National Convention. Realising that he has lost his bid to be national chairman, Modu Sheriff alone without consent and consultations with the National Executive Committee claimed he postponed the convention. Modu Sheriff had no such powers to postpone a convention approved by the National Executive Committee.
“ According to the party, “Modu Sheriff is not the chairman of PDP. He was never elected at any convention and he is subject to the extant judgment of A.B. Mohammed J of the Abuja High Court, which he is curiously seeking to enforce.
“The Abuja High Court judge had in judgment of May 18. 2016 in FCT/CV/1443/2016 rejected Modu Sheriff’s argument that he is PDP Chairman until 2016.” The PDP argued that no court stopped the party from holding its national convention, adding that the National Constitution of the PDP was also never suspended, hence the National Convention derived its powers from the party’s constitution.
The party stated that the interim order of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt stopping Modu Sheriff from parading himself as PDP Chairman was still subsisting. Earlier, Sheriff urged the court to dismiss the originating summons.
Sheriff through his counsel, Ajibola Oluyode filed an applications asking the court to set aside the interim order directing him to stop parading himself as acting National Chairman.
The former acting national chairman also urged the court to strike the name PDP from the suit and subsequently strike it out. Justice Liman adjourned the matter to July 4, 2016 for judgment. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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