Politics
S’Court Judgement: ‘Nigerian Polity Now Stabilised’
The National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, National Caretaker Committee said the Supreme Court judgment on the party’s leadership tussle had stabilised Nigeria’s polity.
Makarfi made the observation when he received a delegation of the PDP Women Forum in his office at the party’s National Secretariat last Wednesday in Abuja.
Makarfi, who said that the judgment had also calmed down tensions, promised that PDP would not let Nigerians down.
“It was a landmark judgment that touches on every political party you can think of. It is a landmark judgment that has stabilised the polity.
“We know there is hunger, we know that there are difficulties, all kinds of problems in the country, but as soon as this judgment came, it seemed to have brought down tempers.
“Why tempers have gone down is that people have seen the alternative they have been waiting for. We will work together as always to make sure we don’t let the people down,” Makarfi said.
He re-emphasised that the party leadership would pursued reconciliation with PDP members who had either left the party or developed cold feet, even before 2015.
He added that apart from reconciliation, PDP needed to expand and attract new members to go beyond what it used to be, saying the process required accommodation.
“ If you can’t reconcile, you can’t expand if your policy will be exclusive in nature.
“As you reconcile and expand, you accommodate different political interest that is rational, that is reasonable, that is fair. Otherwise, people have no reason no reason to reconcile.
“That should be the guiding principle; but in so doing, we are also not going to sacrifice those who have made investments for us to get to where we are.
“It is question of balancing of interests without forgetting the inputs, the contributions of men and women across the length and breadth of this country.’’ Makarfi said that the party’s forthcoming non-elective convention would determine programmes of the National Caretaker Committee. “We will not draw up programmes that we will not have time to implement. Of course, some programmes will have to stay beyond us because they must be started at a particular time.
“There should be classic programmes which should be implemented within the time that we will be in office and give party leaders after us the latitude to continue to move PDP forward.’’ He assured the forum that in going forward, women would continue take a central role in all the party’s activities. The leader of the PDP Women delegation, Dr Aisha Aliyu, speaking earlier congratulated the Makarfi and members of the Caretaker Committee on the victory at Supreme Court.
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that preventing the senator from resuming her legislative duties violates democratic principles and disenfranchises her constituents.
“The suspension, having been imposed by the Senate and not a court of law, has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
The party noted that denying Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the chamber silences the voice of the people who elected her, adding that the withdrawal of her salary, aides, and office access during the suspension amounted to excessive punishment.
The ADC also criticised the Clerk of the National Assembly for declining to process her resumption on grounds that the matter was before the courts, arguing that the Clerk’s role was administrative, not judicial.
“Administrative caution must not translate into complicity. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” the party stated.
Highlighting that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, the ADC warned that the handling of the case sends a discouraging signal about gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“Any action that resembles gender intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while excluding half of its population from key decision-making spaces,” Mallam Abdullahi added.
The ADC insisted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her seat immediately, stressing that the matter was about more than one individual.
“What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself,” the party said.