Makarfi denies suing judges over rulings on party crisis

Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP), National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has denied filing any suit against some judges over rulings against the party.

Makarfi asked whoever initiated the suit to withdraw it.

The PDP caretaker committee chair’s statement, signed by one of his special assistants, Ibrahim Umar,‎ reads: “The attention of the Chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, has been drawn to some publications in both the print and electronic media alleging that the PDP has sued Justice Ibrahim Auta and Justice Okon Abang as a result of their involvement in the judgment delivered on the party .

“We wish to state unequivocally that we are not part of the suit at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court; and therefore, we are urging any loyal party member or groups that initiated the suit in question to immediately withdraw the suit.

He continued: “The PDP under Senator Ahmed Makarfi has no reason to sue the honourable justices of the federal high courts and the party will continue to rely strongly on the judiciary as the last hope of the common man knowing fully that its only our dependence on prudence court judgment that will continue to stabilize our democracy and bring about good governance.

In the light of the above, the PDP has not instructed anyone or group of persons to file any case on its behalf and therefore is not a party to Suit N0 9V/2239/2016 before the high court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).”

Meanwhile, senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Senator Buruji Kashamu has said the decision by the Board of Trustees (BoT) to hold the next national convention in Abuja without resolving the crisis within the party may not help matters.

“The outcome of such a convention will not be different from the botched Port Harcourt conventions where the process was manipulated towards achieving a pre-determined end,” he predicted.

Highlights of the decisions at the BoT meeting were the passing of a vote of confidence in the National Caretaker Committee and the relocation of the National Convention to Abuja.

The senator however, faulted the pronouncements, saying, “To say the least, those pronouncements neither portrayed a genuine spirit of reconciliation nor were they expected from our leaders who are the conscience and the respected leading lights of the party.”

While describing the initiative of the BoT members as laudable, the ‎lawmaker said what the party elders ought to have done was “to preside over a transparent and unbiased reconciliation process. The BoT should have summoned Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi and get the two respectable leaders to talk to each other in a room and come up with their own plans for the resolution of the crisis.