Breaking: Sheriff Loses at Supreme Court, Makarfi faction Wins

The Senator Ali-Modu Sheriff’s led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today met a setback to its claim to the leadership of the party.

An application by the Sheriff’s faction, praying the Supreme Court not to hear the Ahmed Makarfi’s faction a motion before it was dismissed by the court.

Sheriff had asked the court to refuse hearing on the application Makarfi, challenging the February 17 judgement of the Appeal Court in Port Harcourt which made Mr. Sheriff leader of the PDP.

Mr Akin Olujimi, counsel to Sheriff told the court that the application was an abuse of court process, praying for the dismissal of the application

Objecting to Olujimin’s submission, Wole Olanikpekun, counsel to Makarfi, prayed the court to disregard Olujimi’s argument, describing them as baseless.

Ruling on the application, a five-member panel led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, said the application by Mr. Makarfi was considered valid since it complied with the rules of the Supreme Court.

Mr. Onnoghen said according to the Supreme Court rules, an application challenging a decision of a lower court ought to have come within three months after the ruling of the lower court.