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Makarfi's Faction are 'Desperate Political Gamblers' - Gov. Okorocha Lambasts PDP Over Crisis
Posted by Odinaka on Tue 21st Feb, 2017 - tori.ngThe chairman of APC Governors Forum, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, in a newly released statement, reacted on the rejection of Ali Modu-Sheriff as PDP chairman and called the opposition as lawless political marabouts and desperate gamblers.
Gov. Rochas Okorocha
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, on Tuesday, described the Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as a gathering of “lawless political marabouts and desperate gamblers.”
He made the remark while reacting to the communique issued by the group at the end of its meeting yesterday in Abuja.
Following the affirmation of Sheriff as the National Chairman of the party by a Port Harcourt Appeal Court on Friday, the Makarfi’s faction scheduled an emergency meeting for yesterday.
Reacting to the faction’s communiqué, Okorocha, in a statement issued by his Political Adviser, Professor Nnamdi Obiaraeri, in Owerri, the state capital, Okorocha advised Makarfi to respect the Appeal Court judgement.
Noting that Makarfi’s faction reserved the Constitutional right to appeal the ruling at the Supreme Court, Okorcha said the former Kaduna State Governor and his faithful should not heat up the polity or do anything that would undermine the county’s democracy.
The statement which was titled “SENATOR MAKARFI AND HIS CO-TRAVELLERS CAN PROCEED ON APPEAL TO THE SUPREME COURT BUT MUST NOT DENIGRATE THE JUDICIARY AND OR HEAT UP THE POLITY UNNECESSARILY” reads;
“Our attention has been drawn to the recent Communiqué allegedly issued after a meeting in Abuja by Senator Makarfi and his co-travellers following his loss of the National Chairmanship and control of PDP to Senator Sheriff in the recent judgement of the Court of Appeal.
“We concede the constitutional right of any person dissatisfied with the judgement of the Court of Appeal to approach the Supreme Court for a final adjudication and determination of the matter or matters in contention but we view with grave concern the apparent disregard for a valid and subsisting judgement of the Court of Appeal by Senator Makarfi and his clique in the PDP national leadership impasse.
“This open disregard for a valid and subsisting judgement of the Court of Appeal is a grave affront to the judiciary as an arm of government and must be condemned by all and sundry as a further threat to our fledgeling democracy.
“Going through the gamut of the said communique, we are piqued by the shameful lack of decorum exhibited by its authors and the derisive language employed by the Senator Markafi led group in lambasting the majority judgement of the Court of Appeal sought to be appealed against.
“To say the least, the language of the communique as it affects Their Lordships of the Court of Appeal who delivered the majority judgement is very irresponsible and typical of the outcome of a gathering of lawless political marabouts and desperate gamblers.
“Concerned stakeholders in the legal profession, decent observers and men and women of enlightened conscience are surprised that Senator Makarfi and his rebellious group will delude themselves into believing that a valid and subsisting majority judgement of the penultimate court of the land can be nibbled at to the point of being brazenly disobeyed because of a dissenting minority judgement. This is completely unacceptable”.
“The judgement of the Court of Appeal is that Senator Sheriff is the PDP helmsman and this must be respected and obeyed until upset on a final appeal by the Supreme Court. Anybody or group of persons doing anything to the contrary is lawless and liable to be punished for contempt”.
“The Honourable Learned Justices of the Court of Appeal that delivered the judgement complained about by Senator Markafi must neither be intimidated nor brazenly insulted. Our judiciary and judicial officers must be respected and protected”.
“Rule of law is not mob rule…it is rule according to law. Hence, we reiterate that the comments in that communique concerning the judgement, the persons and integrity of the revered Justices of the Court of Appeal that delivered the majority judgement, are most unfortunate and with the greatest respect, can only emanate from a gathering of a riotous mob.
“While we welcome the idea of a final appeal to the Supreme Court so that all the issues in dispute will be resolved and binding precedence on political party administration will crystalize, we advise the dissatisfied Senator Makarfi group in PDP not to heat up the polity unnecessarily”.
“Decency and civilised behaviour will demand that while quietly licking the wound of their loss at the Court of Appeal to Senator Sheriff and or pursuing their appeal to the Supreme Court, Senator Makarfi and his cohorts must remain law abiding and avoid conducts likely to breach the peace.
“In the interim, we feel obliged to remind all concerned that the Supreme Court has restated in a long line of decided cases that an appeal does not simpliciter or automatically serve as a stay of execution.
“It is also good law, and a settled one too, that you can not deny a judgment creditor the fruits of his litigation! This is the delicate balance that must be maintained until the Supreme Court enters final judgement on the matter one way or the other.
“We opine that democrats must have democratic mindset and be rule of law compliant. Any politician in a democracy without a democratic mindset or unwilling to abide by judicial outcomes is an anarchist.”
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