Appeal Court verdict: We're reaching out to party's organs – PDP BoT Chairman …Sheriff won't lead our party, says Fayose

The Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Walid Jubrin, said Appeal Court's confirmation of Ali Modu Sheriff as National Chairman would not threaten the party.

Reacting to the judgment delivered in Port Harcourt on Friday, Jubril told newsmen in Abuja that the judgment would bring the party members together.

He expressed confidence in the judiciary but said that the party would go to any length to resolve the leadership tussle.

Jubrin urged PDP members to be calm and not defect to other political parties, saying that the party was consulting with its various organs to ensure that it remained strong.

Such organs, according to him, include PDP former and serving governors, senators, House of Representatives members, former and serving ministers, chairmen of state chapters, the youths and the women.

He assured that the party would come out with a statement about the judgment latest on Tuesday. 'I am sure that very soon everybody will smile. Those who are crying today will laugh.

' Those who are disturbed and worried will smile and PDP will one day become one party as we know it. 'All these is a question of time,'' Jubrin said.

The Appeal Court, which sat in Port Harcourt, in the judgment, also nullified the PDP National Convention held in the Rivers capital in 2016 and the National Caretaker Committee of the party constituted at the convention.

It held that Ali Modu Sheriff was the authentic National Chairman of the party.

Two out of the three-member Appeal Court, Justice B.G. Sanga and Justice A. Gumel, in the judgment said the Port Harcourt convention was an abuse of court process.

Delivering the lead judgment, Sanga said that PDP did not follow the provisions of Article 47(3) of its Constitution in the removal of the Sherrif-led National Working Committee.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Ayodele Fayose, has revealed that the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee would appeal the judgement.

Governor Fayose described the reinstatement of Senator Sheriff as the chairman of the party by the court as a rape of democracy.

'The outcome of the Port Harcourt Court of Appeal judgement that reinstated Ali Modu Sheriff as chairman against the will of the people is nothing but a rape on our democracy.

'If the people truly symbolise what a party is, then the machination of our detractors and anti-democratic forces will not prevail at last.

'Let me commend the minority judgement of the Appeal Court and I believe the truth will prevail; it is a matter of time.

'Let's thank God we have another level to seek justice, which is the Supreme Court which I believe will not be delayed or denied because when it is delayed, it is denial,' he said.

The governor added that the issue was a party matter which must be addressed as soon as possible.

He said they would appeal the judgement, stating his confidence in the ability of the judiciary to do justice.

'However, we plead with our members, sympathisers, leaders and supporters to calm down,' Fayose said.