Supreme court sacks Sheriff, declares Makarfi authentic PDP chairman

The supreme court has ruled that Ahmed Makarfi is the authentic chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff had been involved in a tussle for the leadership position of the opposition party.

But the court on Wednesday sacked the Sheriff-led faction.

The three-man panel of judges led by Walter Onnoghen, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), held that the national convention which brought in the leadership of Makarfi should not have been disregarded by the appeal court based on the party’s constitution.

Rhodes Vivour, the judge, who read the judgement said all members of the PDP are bound by decisions made at the convention.

While citing article 33 of the party’s constitution that provided for the supremacy of national convention, the panel explained that an officer could be removed after a period of two years.

“The national convention did not violate any court orders,” it held.

“A national officer can be removed without a vote of no confidence. There can be no doubt that the National convention has enormous powers over the party.”

The court said Sheriff “demonstrated an infantile desperation” to be chairman of the PDP by filing about 10 different applications in various courts.

“They shall forever gather dust in judicial archives,” it held.