Respect Appeal Court Ruling, Don’t Heat Up The Polity – Okorocha

The attention of the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, CON, has been drawn to the statement credited to the Governor of Imo State and Chairman of APC Governor’s Forum, Mr. Rochas Okorocha, wherein he said the PDP should respect the ruling of the Friday, February 17, 2017 Court of Appeal Judgment and not to heat up the polity.

This statement coming from Okorocha is not all that surprising. He is not known to be a person who exercises caution or restraint before making unguarded statements. His constant vituperation on matters small or big is indicative of an over excited mind desperately in need of a large dose of tranquilizer. It is curious that while he would want the PDP to accept the verdict of the court of Appeal and not exercise its right of appeal to the Supreme Court, he was nowhere to be found when Sheriff refused to accept the judgment of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt but instead proceeded to the court of appeal. In any case, what is Okorocha’s special interest in the PDP matter? Need Nigerians any further conviction that the APC is the unseen hand stoking the fire of crisis in the PDP and Sheriff and his cohorts mere puppets in their hands?

The desperate attempt by APC to exonerate itself only further exposed its duplicity. The Police excuse for preventing a peaceful assembly of distinguished PDP members on alleged but unproven “security threat ” is an insult to the intelligence of Nigerians. It is the duty of the Police to provide security if they suspect any breach of peace . It is a gross abnegation of its responsibilities to prevent people from exercising their constitutionally guaranteed right of peaceful assembly. No one is in doubt today that the Police has submitted itself to total control and direction by the APC.

We urge Mr Okorocha to please advice his friends (or agents in the PDP) to fully comply with the judgment of the Court of Appeal. The status quo ante May 21, 2016 is the full National Working Committee (NWC) elected at previous conventions and not the cronies that he singlehandedly appointed and who are parading around as officers of the party.

Meanwhile, the PDP remain resolute in our determination to pursue our case to its logical conclusion in the interest of justice and Nigerian democracy.