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National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and the National Caretaker Committee of the party, yesterday, traded accusations over a suit on the party’s leadership crisis before the Supreme Court.
Sheriff said members of the caretaker committee, led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, have been boasting that they will win the Supreme Court case, the committee said the PDP chairman, by his comments, was blackmailing the apex court to get favourable judgment.
Speaking through his deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh at a media briefing in Abuja, yesterday, Sheriff said that was how the caretaker committee celebrated before the Port Harcourt Division of the Appeal Court delivered judgment on the party crisis last month.
However, spokesman of the caretaker committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, who also spoke with newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, stated that it was Sheriff and his men, who boasted that they know the Supreme Court judgment already.
He said having exercised its right to appeal against the judgment of the Appeal Court, which affirmed Sheriff as PDP, the committee holds the Judiciary in high esteem and as such will leave the apex court to do its job.
“We respect the judiciary and we leave the Supreme Court to do their thing. If they rule against us, fine.”
Furthermore, Adeyeye, Sheriff of pursuing a hidden agenda in the party, noting that the latter does not mean well for the opposition party.
He said Sheriff’s declaration that it is only God that will decide whether or not he will contest the presidential election in 2019 has reveals his true intention.
The former minister of state for Works alleged that Sheriff’s major objective was to organise a national convention, where he will install his cronies as party executives and in return, they deliver the PDP presidential ticket to him.
In a related development, indications emerged that Sheriff may have opted to replace administrative staff of the party, who have failed to resume duties at the national secretariat in Wadata Plaza.
National Secretary, Professor Wale Oladipo in an advertorial, called for application to fill some of the administrative positions.
When Daily Sun sought the reaction of the acting National Publicity Secretary, Bernard Mikko, on the implications of the party seeking to hire new staff, he said since the staff have refused to return to work , the party has no choice than to engage new hands.
Mikko recalled that on two occasions, Sheriff called on the staff to return to work, but they have been adamant.
“The party cannot be waiting for them.
“Take a look at their rules of engagement. They were asked to return to work and they issued a statement saying they will wait for the Supreme Court judgment (on the party crisis).
“The secretariat must continue to function,” Mikko added.