Leaders and members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-South said they remained committed to the resolutions of the party’s May 21, 2016 National Convention in Port Harcourt.
PDP
National Vice Chairman of the party in the zone, Mr Emmanuel Ogidi, made this known in an interview with the Newsmen in Abuja on Monday.
Ogidi said that all party members in the zone were under the authority of the National Caretaker Committee headed by Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, which was constituted at the convention.
He assured that the loyalty of members in the area to the committee would be sustained until the verdict of the Supreme Court on the appeal before it on the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt.
The Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt had on Feb. 17, 2017, ruled that Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff remained the authentic chairman of the PDP.
The court also directed that status quo before the national convention in Port Harcourt, which sacked the leadership of the PDP and constituted the caretaker committee, should remain.
But, a minority judgment by a one of the judges, out of the three justices of the Appeal Court that heard the case, recognised the resolutions and actions taken at the Port Harcourt convention.
The judge held that as somebody appointed to administer the party for about three months and organise a national convention, Sheriff had by the resolution of the convention, seized to be chairman of the party.
Ogidi expressed optimism that the final verdict of the court on the issue would vindicate the position of majority of the party’s members, and would uphold the minority judgment at the Appeal Court.
According to him, the minority judgment captured the crux of the matter and it is the way to go to restore sanctity in the PDP.
He said he was yet to understand the current disposition of Bayelsa governor, Chief Seriake Dickson, who is the Chairman of the Reconciliation Committee raised by the PDP Governors’ Forum.
He, however, urged the members to be patient and wait for the outcome of the appeal at the Supreme Court.
On the merger talks between PDP and some political parties, Ogidi said that it was real but that the merging parties would adopt PDP as their new party.
According to him, PDP is the brand and cannot be changed. Yes, other parties will merge with us but the name PDP will be retained after the fusion.
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