From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party in Delta State have unanimously rejected Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the national chairman of the party.
They instead aligned with Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s national caretaker committee and also supported the idea to challenge the Appeal Court ruling at the Supreme Court.
This position was contained in a statement issued at the end of an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting held in Asaba at the weekend.
In attendance were Governor Ifeanyi Okowa; his deputy, Kingsley Otuaro; ex-deputy governor Benjamin Elue; Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Monday Igbuya; Senator Stella Omu; Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta North); South-South Zonal Chairman, Emmanuel Ogidi; the state chairman of the party, Mr. Kingsley Esiso; states and federal lawmakers; commissioners and many others.
Okowa whose kinsman and age-long political rival, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh is the deputy national chairman of the Sheriff faction, did not hesitate to fault the ruling as he insisted that the court never ordered that the controversial national convention at Port Harcourt should be stopped but only said that certain offices should not be contested.
The governor explained that no power is greater than the national convention, and that it is the National Executive Council of the party and not the national chairman that has the power to organize a national convention.
“The party was right in choosing Makarfi. We will challenge the Appeal Court decision at the Supreme Court. Sheriff is just wasting his time because he knows that he cannot run the PDP. I am sure that the Supreme Court will do the right thing in this case. It is like destroying democracy because the convention of any party is the final,” Okowa said.
In the communique, the stakeholders declared that the decision of the Court of Appeal has nothing to do with the ward, state and local council councils executive councils as they remain intact.
According to the communique which was read by a former Commissioner for Works, Mr. Funkekeme Solomon, the Barr. Kingsley Esiso-led state executive committee remained the authentic party executive in the state.
“The Court of Appeal is not the final arbiter in the case. We pass a resounding vote of absolute confidence on the leadership of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker of the party and pledge an unflinching loyalty to it as it pilot the affairs of the party,” Solomon read.
Okowa used the occasion to call for prayers for President Mohammadu Buhari who is battling with his health in the last one month at a United Kingdom hospital, saying, “Iwant to wish the President speedy recovery and quick return to Nigeria.
“Let nobody wish him (Mr. President) otherwise as life and death is in the hands of God, we will continue to pray for his quick recovery.”