PDP CRISIS: Makarfi urges police to arrest Sheriff

The Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the police to arrest “National Chairman” Ali Modu Sheriff for issuing a Certificate of Return to Matthew Iduoriyekemwen as the governorship candidate for Edo State.

It described the action as “contempt of court”, which should be prosecuted.

A statement yesterday by Publicity Secretary of the Makarfi faction, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said: “The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to order the arrest and prosecution of the former National Chairman of the Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Matthew Iduoriyekemwen for disobeying court judgment and charge them for contempt,” which he said, “should not be treated with levity”

“We are shocked at the attitude of the former national chairman of our party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who has become an authority in the country with flagrant disobedience of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the PDP constitution without being arrested or detained by security agencies. Is he above the law? If we may ask”, Prince Adeyeye queried.

The party said Justice Abdullah Mohammed Liman’s Judgment on July 4, 2016, is superior to other court rulings, ex-parte orders or interlocutory injunctions procured by Senator Sheriff and his co-travellers, saying his reliance on Justice Okon Abang’s ruling of Thursday, June 30, 2016, is an attempt to confuse the public as he has done in previous times.

“You will recall that Senator Sheriff, in collaboration with some APC governors and members, invaded our party secretariat on Monday June 13, 2016, laying claims to a non-existing court order; and he has started again after a competent court issued a judgment upholding the decision of our national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which constituted the PDP National Caretaker Committee to pilot the affairs of the party for 90 days, and to conduct another convention that will elect new officers of the party.

Following this, we are calling on the Police to do the needful by arresting Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, his co-travelers and Matthew Iduoriyekemwen for disobeying court judgment”.

The party declared that the PDP has kicked off its campaign for the governorship election in Edo State; and that the law as it stands only recognises Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the authentic and only candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 10, 2016, election in the state.