PORT HARCOURT (Sundiata Post) – Despite a recent ruling by an Abuja high court voiding actions taken by the caretaker committee headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has declared that there was no court order stopping the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention scheduled for August 17 in Port Harcourt.
The governor said that the convention would hold as scheduled because the court was yet to hear the suit filed by sacked acting national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff challenging the holding of the national convention.
Addressing the South-South Executive Committee of the PDP at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday, Wike said: “The court could not have sacked Senator Makarfi because it cannot sit on appeal on the judgement of a court of coordinate jurisdiction.”
He added that there is an application to allow Senator Markafi to be joined as a party in the suit. He said that the suit was adjoined to August 15.
According to him, the suit challenging the conduct of the national convention was yet to be entertained by the court.
Speaking further, he stated that the Edo State chapter of the PDP would be supported to win the Edo State governorship.
“PDP in the South-South cannot be complete until we take over Edo State. Therefore, I urge INEC to conduct free and fair elections in Edo State and every other state where we have elections.
“I thank the party in Edo State for doing quite well in their campaigns. As an opposition party, they have promoted the party’s chances through committed campaigns “, he said.
On the forthcoming national convention, he stated that the leaders of the PDP in the southern geo-political zones would meet on Thursday to determine the zoning of positions.
The governor further said that the PDP would emerge stronger from the current challenges as Nigerians were waiting for the party to provide leadership.
In his remarks, National Vice Chairman of PDP ( South-South), Bro Emma Ogidi commended Wike for using the people’s mandate to transform Rivers State.
He said the governor was a complete party man who has helped in rebuilding the party through his engagements with party stakeholders across the country.
The South-South Executive Committee of the PDP also conferred an award of excellence on Governor Wike.
