Sheriff, PDP scribe stir controversy over ‘court order’ stopping South West congress

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recorded a twist yesterday as the party’s National Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, overruled the party’s National Secretary, Adewole Oladipo, on the conduct of the South West zonal congress slated for today.

Meanwhile, Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, yesterday in Abuja, allayed fears that t‎he national convention of the party slated for May 21, this year, ‎in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, might not hold.‎

At an emergency press conference addressed in Abuja yesterday, ‎Oladipo announced that the party had decided to comply with a court order halting the South West zonal congress of the party.

He said: “We have come here this afternoon to inform you about the latest development about the proposed southwest zonal congress of our party, which hitherto was scheduled to hold Saturday tomorrow (today). However, we are in receipt of an order from a Federal High Court in Lagos to put a stop pending when a case filed is heard and solved.

“As a law abiding political party, we have been served this order which is very clear. I want o inform you that we have decided to abide by this court order.

“Unfortunately, a team has been dispatched to the venue of this congress. I am using this opportunity to apologise for any inconvenience they might have suffered by this unforeseen development.”

But in a telephone interview, Sheriff said he was not aware of any court order, ‎adding that the congress would hold today as scheduled.

Sheriff said: “I have not received any court order. I am in Taraba preparing for my congress. As at the time I left the office yesterday, I did not receive a court order. If I receive a court order, I will not conduct the congress. I have not seen the National Secretary. He was meant to be in Osun. I have not received any court order. I have given directives before I left that there should be a congress. I will only stop when court gives me order to stop.”

Meanwhile, the secretary of the committee sent to conduct the South West zonal congress, Henry Iko, has also confirmed that the congress would hold today.