PDP warns against use of judiciary to threaten democracy

 Senator Ahmed Markafi led Peoples Democratic Party has warned against the judiciary being used to threaten democracy in the country. Speaking Sunday in Port Harcourt against the backdrop of developmemts in Abia , Edo and within the party, member of the Caretaker Committee of the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye said there should be a check on the way and manner politicians were shopping for injunctions and court orders, stressing that it could truncate the nation democracy. Dismissing as bizare and unsutainable a court order that the Independent National Electoral commission, INEC, should recognise the candidate from Ali Modu Sheriff’s Congress for the governorship election in Edo state Adeyeye said efforts so far by Sheriff and his team to go round securing court orders was absurd. Continuing, he said with recent judgements Sheriff was no longer a Chairman of the party and had never even being Chairman of the party. “Sherif has no legal basis to parade himself as chairman. One of the judgments is that Sherif was never chairman of the party. Then the convention of the party in Port Harcourt sacked Sherif and its team. So the political angle also does not see him as chairman of the party.”, he said. He assured that the Markafi led PDP was on course , stressing that the governorship candidate of the party recognised by INEC was Pastor Ize Iyamu. “We already have a candidate for the Edo state election. He is pastor Ize Iyamu. INEC was not in Sheriffs elections. Pastor Iyamu has completed his form with INEC. I am saying we have a candidate in Edo and will have in Ondo state. Sherif is being used. Sherif and co are agents of APC. The candidates of Sherif participated in our primaries and came second, how did they come with their delegates?”, he said. Adeyeye said the style of using court to want to force executives on political parties should be discouraged, adding that if not checked it would get to a time when court will declare somebody who did not participate in an election as the winner. 

” When has it become the fashion for court to choose executives for the party. Sherif keep saying I am chairman by court order. This kind of thing should be discouraged. All the organs of the party don’t want you. When it becomes the order to use court order to install executive then we should say bye bye to democracy. A time will come when people who did not contest election will be made governor by the court. Its like we will surrender all sovereignty to the judiciary to choose for us.’, he warned. The party further urged the federal government to build on the democratic standards set by former President Goodluck Jonathan, noting that the government was entrenching reasons why many African leaders will not want to vacate offices “Why I wish we can build on what Jonathan did. We are being reminded why African leaders sit tight in office. You handed over the man does not want to play by the rules. Elections have become war since Jonathan left. The tradition of calling winners is over.”, he said. The party said the status quo should be allowed to remain in Abia state while all court issues were resolved. 

Adeyeye said it was wrong for INEC to have issued a certificate of return when the judgement of the High Court had already been appealed by the governor. “What I think is that the Abia issue will be resolved. The INEC ought not to have rushed to issue a certificate of return when there is an appeal. I am really concerned that our democracy is going this way. They should allow all the court processes to the supreme court with the status quo remaining, “, he added. Adeyeye said the coming Edo state and rerun elections in Rivers state will serve as litmus test for the electoral body. ” Until INEC do order wise we have no course for alarm, we will wait and pray. The Edo election is a test case for INEC. It should not be inconclusive. It should start with the candidacy. There is no basis why Iyamu should not ne recognised as candidate of the party. We are still on the same election several months after in Rivers state. There is big danger . I am praying that INEC will conduct a free and fair rerun election. It is clear that one party the PDP is the strong party in the state. We thank God that governorship elections get to supreme court if not Wike would not have been governor., Virtually everywhere the PDP lost at the Appeal tribunal. INEC should be alive to its responsibility. The federal government and INEC should please allow a credible election in Rivers, Edo and Ondo states”, he said.