Makarfi’s PDP rejects Sheriff, says APC wants one-party state

The Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has blamed the All Progressives Congress (APC) for its loss of the party’s leadership to Ali Modu Sheriff.

On Friday, the Port Harcourt division of the appeal court declared Ali Modu Sheriff as the authentic national chairman of the PDP.

But the Makarfi faction has rejected the decision of the court,  vowing to challenge it at the supreme court.

In a tweet on Friday, the PDP faction alleged that the judgment of the appeal court showed that the APC was out to create a one-party state.

1. Two out of the 3 man Justices of the Appeal Court gave a scanty judgment in favour of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff while one for Makarfi

— Official PDP Nigeria (@OfficialPDPNig) February 17, 2017

2. The Judgment has finally shown that the ruling Party, the APC is out to create a one party state in the country.

— Official PDP Nigeria (@OfficialPDPNig) February 17, 2017

3. The Party is proceeding immediately to the Supreme Court to file an appeal against the ruling of today's appeal court judgment

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— Official PDP Nigeria (@OfficialPDPNig) February 17, 2017

Meanwhile, Makarfi has said the party would meet on Monday in Abuja to take a stand on the appeal court judgment.

Addressing journalists at his residence in Kaduna on Friday, Makrfi described the court judgment as a temporary set back and appealed to party members to remain calm and not be urged party members not to be disillusioned.

“We have utmost respect for the judiciary. So we are not going to take the laws into our hands. We might not agree with the judgment but there is a process and procedure if you did not agree with something,” he said.

“We are going to recover from this very stronger. I call on party men and women to remain calm, we will get out of this sooner than letter.

“A short while ago, the chairman of the governors (PDP) forum spoke on behalf of governors in Abuja and announced that they are heading to Supreme Court, they are entitled to say so.

“As chairman of caretaker committee, I will not take a unilateral decision. A meeting has been called and when we go for that meeting, whatever is the decision of the meeting, will be the decision of the party.
“What my personal opinion may be, I don’t want to say that, we will rather take it through the democratic process of discussing.

“We are are not going to have one way of looking at this issue. The invincible and visible ways of approaching it will be looked into. But what I can assure PDP men and women and Nigerians is that no stone will be left unturned to make sure that vibrant opposition grows in Nigeria so that we enhance the development of democracy.”