Makarfi Kicks As Ali Modu-Sheriff Takes Over PDP Secretariat

The caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Thursday described as an act of illegality the take over of the party secretariat by the Appeal Court reinstated national chairman of the party, Ali Modu-Sheriff.

Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff had Thursday at about 5:30 pm stormed the Wadata Plaza  National Secretariat of the party to take control of the building.

Modu-Sheriff who won the legal battle for the PDP chairmanship had promised on Wednesday to take over the property latest by today (Friday).

However, he made good his promise less than 24 hours to his self set deadline.

Back with a retinue of his supporters like his appointed deputy national chairman, Cairo Ojougboh, national secretary, Prof Wale Oladipo, national treasurer Adewole Adeyanju, former political adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak, Senator Kashamu Buruji amongst others, Modu-Sheriff promised to put the party back on track within the shortest time possible.

Speaking after gaining entrance into the office of the party chairman, where he sat to address his followers, he promised to continue reconciliation with every member of the party irrespective of whatever divide they belong to while the crisis lasted.

He expressed dismay at the state of the party building, vowing that the repairs will be done before the commencement of normal duty which he said, would begin by next Monday or Tuesday depending on how fast the cleaning exercise is concluded.

He urged all aggrieved party members to sheath their swords and work with him to put the party back on track.

However, the caretaker committee of the party in a reaction by Prince Dayo Adeyeye described the action as illegal.

His words "As far as we are concerned, the forceful entry of Ali Modu-Sheriff and his team into the party secretariat is illegal and most unwelcomed.

We say this because the keys to the "secretariat is with the Board of Trustees and we've checked with them, and can confirm that the keys were not handed over to Sheriff or any of his followers.

"The implication of this is that he broke into the secretariat which is a criminal offence.

"We also expected that Modu-Sheriff should have waited for the conclusion of the Appeal we filed at the Supreme Court before he forced himself in just like we held on when we got court judgement favouring us last year.

"We are condemning his action in totality and we view it as an affront on the rule of law.

"Given his act of illegality, we state clearly that he should be held responsible for any loss of documents or damage to the property within the party secretariat.

"The administrative staff as accounting officers were not around to see the event happen, and as the custodians of the property of the party, they refused to participate in the illegal entry made by Ali Modu-Sheriff.

"His action is provocative and is capable of causing another round of crisis in the party.

"We advise him in his own interest, to vacate the secretariat immediately.

"We also call on authority of the Nigerian Police to prevent chaos by flushing Ali Modu-Sheriff and his team out of the PDP secretariat and let all parties wait for the judgement of the Supreme Court which is the highest court in the land."

Modu-Sheriff will today lead his team to pay visit on former Chairman Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih.