Sheriff

The disputed National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, has described as illegal the extension of the tenure of the party’s National Caretaker Committee.

This is contained in a statement signed by Sheriff’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr Inua Bwala on Wednesday in Abuja.

The statement also said that the Wednesday meeting in Port Harcourt where some decisions were made was illegal, null and void.

It stressed that whatever decision taken at the NEC meeting could not stand as it contravened the party’s constitution.

“The said meeting breaches section 31, sub-section 4 of the PDP Constitution.

“The section provides that it is only the national chairman who can convene a NEC, after giving two weeks’ notice to INEC.

“Even in an emergency situation, one week notice must be given to the national chairman, who has the sole responsibility to convene the NEC,’’ the statement said.

It said that it was sad that in the face of obvious disregard to court orders, which halted the convention, some individuals were bent on perpetrating impunity by taking steps to install another contraption on the party.

“The rule of law and constitutionality must prevail in all circumstances; as such, whatever decisions arrived at, is not binding and cannot stand in law,” the statement said.

The party had earlier at a “non-elective convention’’ on Wednesday in Port-Harcourt announced the extension of the tenure of the caretaker committee by 12 months.

The session was held by leaders and delegates of the party after a national convention scheduled in the Rivers capital was scuttled by security operatives.

NAN reports that delegates to the convention arrived at the Sharks Stadium, venue of the event, and discovered that the place had been sealed and area condoned off by armed policemen and operatives.

The delegates also resolved that the caretaker committee membership should be increased to 13 from seven to enable it carry out its assignment effectively. (NAN)