Makarfi PDP faction says national convention to go ahead despite court order

August 16, 2016 NATIONAL No Comments

The Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to Monday’s order by a Federal High Court Abuja blocking its forthcoming national convention slated for Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Justice Okon Abang had granted an interim order suspending the August 17 convention pending the determination of the application filed before him on July 20.
The judge gave the order after a lawyer representing the Ali Modu Sheriff faction informed him that the Makarfi faction’s national secretary, Ben Obi, had approached the Port Harcourt division of the Federal High Court to obtain an interim injunction.
The injunction compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies to take part in the convention.
The judge said the act deserved a “judicial response”.
“The plaintiff filed a motion on July 20, being an order restraining INEC from monitoring the national convention of PDP August 17. The court had adjourned the application to allow Makarfi and six others to join till August 15.
“Having found that Senator Ben Obi had obtained an exparte order, there is an urgent need to take a consequential decision. Senator Ben Obi cannot slap the court in the face and expect the court to adjourn the matter without making an interim order. Democracy is not anchored on the whims and caprices of any persons.
“If we are to uphold the rule of democracy, nobody is above the law,” he said.

It is judicial recklessness
However, the Makarfi faction, in a statement by its spokesperson, Dayo Adeyeye, described the ruling as another act of judicial recklessness by Justice Abang.
The statement said a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt Rivers State had earlier in the day given a comprehensive Order “wherein the Honourable Judge specifically ordered the PDP to proceed with the convention as scheduled without hindrance.
“Indeed his lordship while giving the order mandated all relevant agencies including The Police, DSS and INEC to cooperate with the Party in organizing a hitch free National Convention.”
The faction also argued that the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State gave an Interlocutory Order while Justice Abang, Abuja, gave an Interim Order.
“The order of Port Harcourt is clearly superior and earlier in time to the interim order given by Justice Okon Abang. In the light of the above, The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a law abiding Party is obeying the Order of the Port Harcourt, Federal High Court until set aside by any competent Court of jurisdiction.
“In view of the above, the 2016 Repeat National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will continue as scheduled as we welcome all Delegates, Party leaders, other critical stakeholders, INEC monitoring team and other friends of PDP to Port Harcourt, Rivers State while wishing all our members and supporters a successful national convention.”