Dark Clouds Over PDP Convention

– Makarfi Mulls Backward Shift In Date, As Justice Abang Sets To Rule On Sheriff’s Application

By Naomi DOUGLAS, Abuja

Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, seems to have thrown caution to the dogs by continuing with preparations for a National Convention in Port Harcourt on August 17, in apparent disregard to a pending application before the Federal High Court in Abuja, which had earlier ruled that the caretaker committee is illegal and all its actions a nullity.
This is even as doubts pervade the air following the planned boycott of the event by some state Governors, who seem to disagree with the seeming impunity being displayed by the party in the face of definite court orders pertaining to the activities of the Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee.
The Governors, most of whom had held nocturnal meeting with Senator Ali Modu Sheriff have been reported to be in disagreement with Rivers State Governor, Nyeson Wike, who is hosting the Convention and his compatriot, Ayo Fayose of Ekitiu State, and have vowed to stay away from Port Harcourt.
It will be recalled that the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Okon Abang, which earlier described the Ahmed Makarfi led caretaker committee of the party as illegal, and any action taken by the committee remains null and void, had made definite pronouncements to the effect that nothing should be done to further violate the Lagos High Court order which affirmed senator Sheriff’s leadership of the PDP.
While interested parties continued grandstanding in the face of Justice Abang’s obvious position on the leadership crisis and the attendant controversies surrounding the convention, feelers indicate some PDP Governors in connivance the the caretaker Committee are prepared to disregard the courts and continue with the convention, even if Sheriff gets an injunction stopping it.
Sources close to one of the governors told nationalTRAIL that, Governor Nyeson Wike had assured organizers of the convention that he had tied the legal end of the noose and they should go ahead without any fears that any judge could stop it, even as he was quoted as saying the matter will be transferred from justice Okon Abang on his instrumentality.
This is even as senator Ali Modu Sheriff has called upon all PDP loyalists across the country.