The embattled Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ali Modu Sheriff has been dismissed from his position by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Apo, Abuja on Wednesday.
According to the presiding judge, Justice Valentine Ashi, Sheriff’s ascension to office did not follow due process as it was based on amended provision of the PDP Constitution illegally introduced in December 2014.
It was learnt that although the name of Sheriff was unmentioned in the case but the court ruled that hence , there would be a restrain of all persons who became national officers of the party by virtue of the amended Article 47, Rule 6 of the party’s constitution from further parading themselves in the said capacities (national officers).
The provision of Article 47(6) of the party’s constitution was nullified. “The purported amendment of Article 47, Rule 6 of the PDP, 2012 at a Special Convention held on Wednesday and Thursday, 10 and 11 December, 2014, is unconstitutional, null and void as there was no compliance with mandatory provisions of Article 66 (2) and (3) of the same constitution.
“By reason of the above, the purported amendment of Article 47(6) introduced to the PDP Constitution on the aforesaid dates, are hereby set aside.
“All persons, individuals, officers, servants or agents of the PDP parading themselves as the national officers of the PDP pursuant to the purported amendment which has now been nullified are hereby restrained from further parading themselves in these capacities,” the judge ruled.
The suit, with number CV/1867/2016, was filed on June 2, 2016. The respondent to the suit were only members of the Peoples Democratic Party.