*Describes ruling as temporary setback
*As Ekweremadu, Walid Jibrin, Dayo Adeyeye slam court for ruling
The National Caretaker Committee Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has described Friday’s ruling of the Court of Appeal in favour of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as a temporary setback.
Makarfi spoke just as the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, enjoined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members not to be anxious over the ruling of the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt.
Ekweremadu said this on Friday while reacting to the Court in a statement by his media aide, Uche Anichukwu, which said, “There is no cause for alarm. The party leadership will meet as soon as possible to take a decision on the best way forward.”
But Makarfi, who spoke with newsmen in his residence in Kaduna, said the PDP would overcome this set back politically and legally.
The former Kaduna State governor and a major stakeholder in the PDP leadership crisis said, “We have utmost respect for the judiciary, so we are not going to take the law into our hands. We might not agree with the judgment but there is a process and procedure if you do not agree with something. The party will meet on Monday to take a decision on the judgment. Every person concerned has been notified.”
He urged party members to be calm.
The former governor said since he took over the party as caretaker committee chairman, the PDP had done a lot to remain afloat, saying they would not allow the voice of the opposition to be silenced.
The spokesman for the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye described the judgment as “a big disappointment” stressing that the committee would appeal.
Also reacting, the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin said: “Whatever one does in this world, he must fear God. All evil machinations must end. The truth will prevail. The founding fathers of this party spoke. I appeal to all our members to remain calm not to panic not to move to any party as all efforts will be made to ensure that the party remains PDP of the dreams of our founding fathers,” he said.
