By Emmanuel Oloniruha
Abuja – Staff of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at national headquarters, Abuja, have declared their support for the National Caretaker Committee headed by Sen. Ahmed Makarfi.
The staff under the auspices of ‘ PDP Staff Welfare Forum’’ made the declaration in a statement jointly signed by over 50 of its members and made available to newsmen on Saturday.
The staff described Makarfi led committee as authentic product of the National Convention of the PDP.
They also decried the various suits instituted by Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction against the party as attempts to destabilize the PDP and create a one party state in the country.
The staff said that any judgment Sheriff paraded in his favour after May 21, was nothing but a ‘black-market’ judgment.
“The former National Chairman of our party, Sheriff was only appointed by the 68th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party.
““He was appointed to complete the tenure of the North East which began with Dr Bamanga Tukur in 2012 and ended in March, 2016.
““Sheriff was even given additional three months because his appointment came towards the end of the four-year tenure of the North East.
““So, the claim by Sen. Sheriff to remain as Chairman after the expiration of the tenure of the 2012 Working Committee is anti-party and he and all his cohorts should be treated as enemies of the Party.”
The forum also decried what it termed as “”delay tactics’’ being employed by Sheriff-led faction to delay court judgment on the party’s candidate for Ondo governorship election scheduled for Nov. 26.
They urged the Chairman of the National Judicial Council and Chief Justice of the Federation to save Nigeria’s democracy by treating the PDP leadership matter before them with utmost urgency.
They said that this would enable the party to have enough time for the PDP to campaign and participate in the election.