The leadership crises rocking the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) may be brought to an end on July 12, 2017 when the Supreme Court is expected to deliver its judgment on it.
The party has not known peace since May 2016 when it became factionalised following the attempt to remove Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff as the party chairman at the convention held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Following the refusal of Modu-Sheriff to accept the fact that his tenure has ended, the party could not hold elections into its National Working Committee (NWC) but instead put together a National Caretaker Committee (NCC) with a life span of 90 days, and a mandate to hold elective convention within the period.
Another convention slated for August 2016 also ended in a fiasco as the venue of the convention, the Sharks Stadium in Port Harcourt was sealed up by security agencies, forcing the delegates to converge on the party’s state secretariat in Port Harcourt where the mandate of the NCC was extended for another one year.
Conflicting judgments have been delivered on the case by different courts of coordinate jurisdictions with both parties claiming victory.
However, the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt division, threw the party into deeper crisis when it gave recognition to Modu-Sheriff as the authentic national chairman of the party.
Other organs of the party, however, refused to recognise him, and went ahead to institute an appeal at the Supreme Court asking for the vacation of the Appeal Court judgment.
Modu-Sheriff has however continued to occupy the national secretariat of the party, functioning as the party chairman since the Appeal Court recognised him as the party chairman.
A source within the party told this newspaper in confidence on Monday that the Supreme Court judgment on the crisis is to be delivered on July 12, putting an end to the division within its fold.
Though, Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, and his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, had initially mounted stiff opposition against Modu-Sheriff, both have, however, expressed their resolve to accept whatever might be the judgment of the Supreme Court and stay in the party and help rebuild it.
The forum of the former ministers also on Monday reinforced its decision to stick with the party irrespective of whatever may be the outcome of the Supreme Court judgment.
Chairman of the forum, Taminu Turaki, in response to a question by this newspaper on the likely position of the forum should the judgment of the Supreme Court not be favourable to the NCC which they are supporting, said the interest of the party is paramount and that they will also follow the line toed by the other party organs.
“We have said that we are working in tandem with other organs and tiers of party.
“The party has taken decision that whatever happens we will remain committed to the ideals and vision of PDP. We believe very strongly that the judgment of the Supreme Court which is coming will unite the party more than divide us”, he said. Independent Newspaper
