Edo Guber Poll: PDP Calls for Sheriff’s Arrest for Contempt of Court

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi has demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff for contempt of court for issuing certificate of return to Matthew Iduoriyekemwen as the factional candidate of the party in the Edo State governorship election.

In a statement issued by the spokesman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, wednesday, the party called on the Inspector General of Police (IG) to immediately order the arrest and prosecution of the former National Chairman and Iduoriyekemwen for disobeying court judgment and charge them for contempt.

While reacting to the issuance of certificate of return in a statement, Adeyeye said the actions of Sheriff and Iduoriyekemwen were in utter disobedience and disrespect to court judgment and should not be treated with levity.
“The PDP condemns in strong terms the attitude of Sheriff in recents times and urged security agencies to live up to their responsibilities before Sheriff brings the judiciary to ridicule, recalling that it’s not the first time he is disobeying court judgment or order.

“We are shocked at the attitude of the former National Chairman of our great party, Sheriff, who has become an authority in the country with flagrant disobedience of the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act and the PDP constitution without being arrested or detained by security agencies. Is he above the law? If we may ask,” Adeyeye queried.

The party said Justice Abdullah Mohammed Liman’s judgment on July 4, 2016 is superior to all other court rulings, ex-parte orders or interlocutory injunctions procured by Sheriff and his co-travellers, saying that his reliance on Justice Okon Abang’s ruling of Thursday, June 30, 2016 is an attempt to confuse unsuspecting members of the public as he has done in previous times.

“You will recall that Sheriff in collaboration with some APC governors and members invaded our party secretariat on Monday, June 13, 2016 laying claims to a non-existing court order; and he has started again after a competent court issued a Judgment upholding the decision of our National Convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State which constituted the PDP National Caretaker Committee to pilot the affairs of the party for 90 days, and to conduct another convention that will elect new officers of the party.

Following this, we are calling on the police to do the needful by arresting Sheriff, his co-travellers and Iduoriyekemwen for disobeying court judgment.”

Meanwhile, the party said that it has commenced its campaign for the gubernatorial election in Edo State; adding that the Law as it stands only recognises Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the authentic and only candidate of the PDP in the September 10, 2016 election in the state.

It charged all its members nationwide and in Edo State in particular “to give maximum support to its standard bearer, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, to win the September 10, 2016 gubernatorial election in Edo State in order to bring the desired change the Edo people deserve.”

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