Supreme Court judgement: Confusion over Sheriff’s stance

CONTRADICTORY statements are emerging from Senator Ali Sheriff’s camps over his disposition of to Wednesday’s Supreme Court judgment removing him and restoring the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) as the authentic national leadership of the party.

While a tweet on his alleged twitter handle, @SenAliSheriff, congratulated Makarfi over the victory and pledged his support to move the party forward, his former faction’s spokesman, Hon. Bernard Mikko, has said that the group was shocked over the apex court’s ruling and now contemplating its next move.

The Sheriff’s tweet maintained: “The Supreme Court has spoken. I congratulate Senator Makarfi. We must all put our hands together to channel a new course for the PDP.”

The Supreme Court has spoken. I congratulate Senator Makarfi. We must all put our hands together to channel a new course for the PDP

— Ali Modu Sheriff (@SenAliSheriff) July 12, 2017

“This is the time to build the PDP and to focus on the future, which include reclaiming power from the APC.”

The tweet drew a reaction from former Minister of Aviation and key opponent of Sheriff, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, who thanked God that the PDP was back in good hands and lambasted the former National Chairman of the party.

Tweeting on his verified handle, @realFFK, Fani-Kayode stated:

“Praise the Lord! God has given us victory at Supreme Court. PDP is back in the right hands. Shame on Ali Modu Sheriff! Congrats to PDP!”

Praise the Lord! God has given us victory at Supreme Court. PDP is back in the right hands. Shame on Ali Modu Sheriff! Congrats to PDP!

— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) July 12, 2017

This is the time to build the PDP and to focus on the future, which include reclaiming power from the APC https://t.co/LvrhC7YQgk

— Ali Modu Sheriff (@SenAliSheriff) July 12, 2017

However, Mikko in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday suggested that the Sheriff group was shocked by the judgement and was now consulting with its lawyers to determine its next course of action.

The state added: “We received with shock the 12th July judgement of the Supreme Court on the leadership of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

“Though we still await the full written judgement of the highest court from our lawyers who will fully brief us on the details of the judgement; in the interim, we ask all members and supporters to remain steadfast in prayers for Nigeria.”

“Meanwhile, we continue with our avowed demands that the party must be given back to the owners at the grassroots to always elect their party officials and those to contest elections for them at all levels. Internal democracy must be institutionalized in the party.”