Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Youth Movement on Wednesday staged a protest over plans by former Chairman of PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff to scuttle the rescheduled National Convention through a Federal High Court, Abuja.
The PDP youths who staged a protest at the Federal High Court in Abuja in their hundreds said that the former chairman and his cohorts secretly filed suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/464/2016 as plantiff and procured lawyers for PDP as defendants with the aim of the plaintiff and defendant colluding to halt the National Convention of the party.
The protesters flooded the court carrying placards with various inscriptions like “Judges should not be used to settle Political scores”, “The Court should not be used to destroy PDP”, “Plot by Sheriff to use the FHC to stop convention high of Judicial rascality”, “August 17, Convention must hold”, “The chief Judge call sheriff allies in Judiciary to order”.
In a petition submitted by the group to Chief Justice of Nigeria and signed by National Director, Ohazuruike Tochukwu said from the totality of three Judgements already delivered, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff ceased to be the Chairman of the party.
The letter reads,” Multiple cases were instituted by several parties in various division of the Federal High Court and also the FCT High Court in a scramble for the leadership of Peoples Democratic Party.
“So far, of all cases, FCT High Court has given judgement in suit No. FHC/PH/524/16 wherein the court validated the dissolution of the PDP National working committee by the National Convention and also held that the holding of the convention on 21 May, 2016 did not violate any order of court.
From a totality of three judgements already delivered, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff ceased to be the Chairman of the party.
“However, while these cases were pending, both the Federal High Court Abuja and Lagos division at varrious times before the judgement of the judgement of the Port Harcourt Division of the Court in favour of Alhaji Modu Sheriff.
“Believing in the sanctity of the Courts to dispense justice, parties submitted to judicial process. The worrying part of the judicial processes emerged when Ali Modu Sheriff and his allies periodically to celebrate judicial victories even before ruling were handed down. Comment like “he is our Judge” became popular among the members of the sheriff camp.
“The forum shopping Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff has become legendary. After judgement was delivered in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1443/16, Alhaji Modu Sheriff filed a notice of Appeal and later filed a motion on notice seeking for full enforcement of the same judgement. Now he is acting as both Plantiff and Defendant before a judge he has claimed to be “our judge.”
