Makarfi-led PDP to challenge verdict at Supreme Court

The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chaired by Senator Ahmed Makarfi has resolved to head to the Supreme Court to challenge the verdict of the Court of Appeal which granted the authority of the party to the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff faction.

The defeated faction, which had been making frantic moves to reconcile the party and unite its members in recent time, also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of being behind the appeal court ruling.

It said the judgment showed that the APC wanted a one-party state for the country.

The ruling was the outcome of a long-drawn battle between the two factions which saw the party secretariat shut down for many months.

Meanwhile, former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has criticised the Appeal Court verdict which confirmed Ali Modu Sheriff as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The verdict was delivered on Friday, February 17 in Port-Harcourt, Rivers state by the three judges who a unanimously agreed that Modu Sheriff is the chairman of the PDP.

However, the decision has not gone well with some members of the party who were expecting the decision to go in the favour of the Ahmed Makarfi led faction.

One of those opposed to the ruling is Fani-Kayode, who said the decision of the Court of Appeal to recognise Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the national chairman of the PDP is a victory for President Buhari.

The former minister described the verdict as absurd, saying it was time for party members who shared his line of thought to leave the party for Sheriff and form a new party.