News
PDP Factions Bicker As Supreme Court Hears Appeal, Today
A factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, says the Supreme Court should not hear an appeal filed by the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the party.
Although, hearing in the appeal is slated to take place before the Supreme Court on Monday (today), the Sheriff-leadership of the party has asked the apex court to strike out the appeal, marked SC/133/2017.
The Makarfi-faction filed the appeal on February 27, 2017 against the February 17, 2017 judgment of the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal which sacked their caretaker committee.
But Sheriff, as the National Chairman of the party, and Prof. Wale Oladipo (as the Secretary), prayed for the striking out of the appeal in their written argument accompanying an application which they filed on March 21, 2017.
The written submission was filed on May 10, 2017, in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive made during the proceedings of May 4, 2017.
The applicants argued that having been declared illegal by the February 17, 2017 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, Makarfi and members of the sacked committee lacked the powers to take decisions for the party, including initiating court proceedings in its name.
Sheriff and Oladipo maintained that the PDP, under the current leadership, was comfortable with the judgment of the Court of Appeal and did not intend to challenge it.
Their retinue of lawyers, led by Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who filed the court processes on their behalf, argued that since the Court of Appeal, in its February 17, 2017 judgment, declared the Sheriff-led National Working Committee as the authentic leadership organ of the PDP, the Makarfi-led committee could no longer pursue an appeal in the name of the party.
The Sheriff-led PDP leadership argued that the decision of the Makarfi committee to file an appeal in the name of the PDP without its (the party’s) authorisation was not only illegal, it violated the party’s constitution.
They cited the provisions of Chapter 5, Articles 35(1), 36(1) and 42(1) of the PDP constitution to back their position.
They stated, “the decision of the Port Harcourt division of the Court of Appeal cited above (that nullified the ‘National Convention’ of the 21/5/2016, as well as the appointment of the ‘National Caretaker Committee’) and the order made therein for status quo as of May 18, 2016, judgment of Justice Mohammad in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1443/20l6, to be reverted to by parties, are still valid and subsisting, and as such, are not only binding on the parties and their privies, but also on the courts including the Supreme Court.
“In the circumstances, we humbly urge that these orders be given effect by recognising that only the National Executive Committee of the PDP, as represented by its National Chairman (Sheriff), National Secretary (Oladipo) and National Legal Adviser can act for the PDP to prosecute this appeal and to instruct counsel to act on behalf of the PDP.”
The Sheriff-led PDP leadership noted that it had not, by its argument, said the Makarfi Committee could not appeal the May 17 judgment of the Appeal Court, having been parties in the case from the trial court, it (the Makarfi Committee) or its members could only appeal as interested parties after first obtaining the court’s leave to so appeal.
In a counter-argument, the Makarfi committee’s group of lawyers, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), urged the court to discountenance the Sheriff leadership’s arguments and proceed to hear its appeal.
In its reply of argument, dated May 15, 2017, the Makarfi committee queried the legitimacy of the application filed by the Sheriff-leadership and argued that it was not only strange, but intended to frustrate the hearing of the main appeal.
It argued that it was wrong for Sheriff and others, who had briefed Akin Olujinmi (SAN) to represent them in the substantive appeal and had filed a respondents’ brief, in which they also made similar arguments in relation to the competence of the appeal, to go ahead to brief Fagbemi to ask the court not to hear the appeal but to strike it out.
Relying on Order 8 Rule 6 (1), (2) and (4) of the Supreme Court’s Rules, the Makarfi faction faulted the March 15, 2017 letter of the Sheriff-led NEC, applying to withdraw the appeal and the subsequent application for it to be struck out.
It argued that since the appeal was not filed by Sheriff and others, they lacked the right to apply to withdraw it.
In a response on point of law, filed by Fagbemi on May 18, the Sheriff-led NEC faulted all legal arguments by the Makarfi committee, urging the court to discountenance its contention and hold that it lacked the locus standi to file an appeal in the name of the PDP having been sacked by a subsisting judgment.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, in an interview with The Tide correspondent, said the party was praying that God should touch the hearts of those he described as the rebels.
Ojougboh stated, “We believe God; you know the God of justice does not lie. We believe that the Supreme Court is actually supreme and that it will do the right thing. Our prayer is that the rebels’ camp, let God touch them (rebels) to know that this PDP, we need to put it together for all so that Nigeria can get out of difficulties because Nigerians are waiting for us.
“The need for a proper opposition cannot be overemphasised with the situation we find ourselves in this country.’’
But a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Alhaji Abdullahi Jalo, who is a member of the Makarfi-led group, said members of the Sheriff-led PDP were being deceived.
Jalo said this in response to Ojougboh’s comments in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Sunday.
He stated, “As for Cairo and those on the other side – I will refrain from calling them rebels even though that is what they are – we urge them to retrace their steps and return home.
“They must know that no matter how far one goes in the wrong direction, the right thing to do is (to) retrace your steps in the right path as soon as you realise your mistake.
“I know those of them on the other side are being deceived and misled.
“Our expectation from the court is simple, justice. We expect the court to give us justice because we feel justice was not served at the Court of Appeal.”
The Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, has been named Social Impact Man of the Year 2025 by Daily Independent Newspapers.
The award was presented at the Independent Awards 2025 Silver Jubilee Edition held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos, as part of activities marking the organisation’s 25th anniversary of editorial excellence.
Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of Independent Newspapers, Steve Omanufeme, said the award recognises individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and transformative impact in their respective fields. He explained that recipients emerged through a rigorous process involving public voting, editorial board scrutiny, and assessment by a panel of judges.
Omanufeme noted that Zabbey’s selection reflects his outstanding contributions to environmental restoration and community development in Ogoniland through the Ogoni cleanup project.
With over two decades of experience spanning research, advocacy, capacity development, and administration, Zabbey has, within three years of leading HYPREP, implemented people-focused initiatives aimed at improving livelihoods and restoring degraded ecosystems.
Under his leadership, the project has reportedly created more than 7,000 direct jobs and facilitated the training of thousands of youths and women in high-demand skills, including mechatronics, cybersecurity, commercial diving, underwater welding, and data analytics.
HYPREP has also trained over 5,000 beneficiaries across 21 vocational skill areas, providing start-up kits to support entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
In the area of environmental sustainability, the agency has established 31 environmental clubs in secondary schools and trained 2,500 youths with International Maritime Organization (IMO) certification to support shoreline cleanup and mangrove restoration efforts.
The project has recorded significant ecological milestones, including the cleanup of over 1,000 hectares of shoreline and restoration of 560 hectares of mangroves. This progress contributed to the designation of Ogoni mangrove wetlands as a Ramsar Site of international importance.
Beyond environmental remediation, HYPREP has expanded its social intervention programmes to include educational grants and scholarships for over 1,000 students, support for small and medium-scale enterprises, and skills training for persons living with special needs.
Infrastructure and healthcare development have also featured prominently, with ongoing projects such as the Ogoni Specialist Hospital, a Cottage Hospital, the Ogoni Power Project, and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration. The agency has further strengthened emergency healthcare delivery by donating five ambulances to medical facilities in the region.
Additionally, potable water has been provided to more than 40 communities, alongside the construction of wind-powered water systems in underserved areas.
Speaking on the award, Zabbey described it as a validation of HYPREP’s integrated approach to environmental restoration, healthcare improvement, and economic empowerment.
“We remain committed to delivering a cleanup that not only restores the environment but also improves livelihoods in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
HYPREP, in a statement, expressed appreciation to the management of Independent Newspapers for the recognition, the Federal Ministry of Environment for its oversight role, and the Ogoni communities for their continued support and collaboration.
The agency was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to implement the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoniland and restore areas impacted by oil pollution.
By: Donatus Ebi
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has awarded a total cost of ¦ 2 million against High Chief Cassidy Ikegbidi and other appellants in the protracted Eze Igbu Akoh II chieftaincy dispute, citing abuse of judicial process and disobedience of subsisting court orders, in a ruling that underscores growing judicial intolerance for procedural delays in long-running traditional leadership cases.
The decision, delivered on March 16, 2026, in Abuja by a five-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, arose from a series of applications filed by High Chief Cassidy O. W. Ikegbidi and others against HRH Eze Godspower Okorobia Okpagi and seven others, in a dispute over the rightful occupant of the Eze Igbu Akoh II stool in Igbu Akoh Kingdom of Ekpeye ethnic nationality in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Court proceedings revealed that the appellants had filed multiple motions before the Supreme Court, including an application seeking injunctive relief and another seeking leave to amend a ground of appeal. However, both applications were later withdrawn by the appellants after the respondents had already filed responses and appeared in court on several occasions.
Although counsel to the respondents did not oppose the withdrawal of the applications, they strongly urged the court to award costs, arguing that the appellants’ conduct had led to unnecessary delays and avoidable legal expenses. The respondents maintained that the repeated filing and subsequent withdrawal of applications amounted to a deliberate attempt to frustrate the judicial process.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court struck out the withdrawn applications but took a firm stance on the conduct of the appellants, holding that their actions constituted an abuse of court process. The court further noted that the appellants had acted in violation of subsisting injunctive orders earlier issued by the High Court and upheld by the Court of Appeal, a development that weighed heavily in its decision to impose sanctions.
Consequently, the apex court awarded a lump sum cost of ¦ 2 million against the appellants in favour of the 1st to 5th respondents as a punitive and deterrent measure, reinforcing the principle that litigants must approach the court with sincerity and respect for existing judicial orders.
The ruling, however, is strictly procedural and does not resolve the substantive issue of who is the rightful Eze Igbu Akoh II. Rather, it deals only with interlocutory applications that were brought before the court and subsequently withdrawn, leaving the core dispute to be decided at a later date.
The chieftaincy tussle, which has lingered for years, can be traced back to a judgment delivered on March 14, 2018, by the High Court sitting in Ahoada, presided over by Justice T.S. Oji, which reportedly ruled in favour of Eze Godspower Okorobia Okpagi. Dissatisfied with the outcome, the opposing parties pursued appeals, leading to a prolonged legal battle that moved through the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt and eventually to the Supreme Court.
While Eze Okpagi has consistently maintained that he is the only duly elected candidate for the Eze Igbu Akoh II stool, according to the customs and traditions of the Ekpeye ethnic nationality, as well as based on favourable court rulings, High Chief Cassidy Ikegbidi has continued to lay claim to the stool, a situation that has deepened tensions and prolonged uncertainty within the kingdom.
The immediate implication of the Supreme Court’s ruling is that the appellants have lost all pending interim reliefs, having withdrawn their applications, and now have no active motion before the apex court capable of altering the current legal position. More importantly, the injunctions granted by the High Court and affirmed by the Court of Appeal remain valid and binding, as they were neither set aside nor suspended by the Supreme Court.
This effectively places the respondents in a stronger position for now, as they continue to benefit from the subsisting judgments of the lower courts pending the final determination of the appeal. In contrast, the appellants must comply with the ¦ 2 million cost order and face a prolonged wait before the substantive issues in the case are heard.
Following the resolution of all pending applications, the Supreme Court adjourned the substantive appeal to March 19, 2029, a development that has generated mixed reactions among stakeholders, given the already lengthy duration of the dispute. The adjournment means that the final determination of the rightful occupant of the traditional stool will not be made for several more years, further extending a legal battle that has spanned nearly a decade.
Reacting to the ruling, Eze Godspower Okorobia Okpagi maintained that the decision reinforces the validity of earlier judgments in his favour, particularly as the Supreme Court declined to grant any relief that would have altered the status quo. He argued that the dismissal and withdrawal of the appellants’ applications confirm that the orders of the lower courts remain in full effect.
He further alleged that the appellants had taken steps inconsistent with those orders and accused them of employing delay tactics to prolong their hold on the situation, insisting that High Chief Ikegbidi should desist from parading himself as the Eze Igbu Akoh II pending the final determination of the appeal.
Legal observers note that chieftaincy disputes in Nigeria often become protracted due to their sensitive nature and the high cultural and political significance attached to traditional institutions, as well as the frequent filing of appeals and interlocutory applications that slow down the judicial process.
A support group, Peter Obi Our President (PETOOP), has inaugurated its members and state executives from Rivers, Bayelsa and Cross River States in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, with a renewed call to mobilise grassroots support ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The inauguration ceremony, held on Saturday, drew a large crowd of supporters and stakeholders from different walks of life, underscoring the growing political engagement around the group’s activities.
PETOOP said its core objective is to galvanise Nigerians across regions to support the presidential ambition of former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, in the 2027 elections.
Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Okelechukwu Benjamin Okuolu, a former senatorial candidate for Rivers East under the Labour Party, described the group as a broad-based movement open to all Nigerians seeking good governance, stressing that it is not a political party.
Represented by Christian Ojukwu, Okuolu urged members to remain committed and make necessary sacrifices toward achieving credible leadership in the country. He expressed optimism about Obi’s chances in the next election cycle, citing what he described as the former governor’s leadership qualities.
Referring to the 2023 general elections, Okuolu encouraged members not to be discouraged by past challenges, but instead remain resolute and vigilant in future electoral processes.
He also commended the National Convener of PETOOP, Chief Magnus Oraka, for his mobilisation efforts aimed at fostering a better Nigeria.
In his remarks, Oraka called on members to remain courageous and steadfast, linking Nigeria’s economic challenges to what he described as leadership deficiencies.According to him, effective governance requires competence, foresight and experience in managing resources, urging Nigerians to prioritise these qualities in future leadership choices.
Also speaking, the Rivers State Coordinator of PETOOP, Mrs. Becky Napoleon, said the group represents a collective movement driven by conviction and a shared vision for national transformation.
She noted that the initiative is focused on inspiring action and generating practical solutions to the country’s challenges through unity and purposeful engagement.
“Our coming together is based on personal conviction and a shared belief in a better future for our country and generations to come,” she said, adding that meaningful transformation requires collective effort.
The Bayelsa State Coordinator, Mr. Ijaja Alabi, also addressed participants, aligning with the group’s message of unity and commitment to national development.
The event marks a significant step in PETOOP’s expansion efforts across the South-South region as it intensifies mobilisation activities ahead of the 2027 elections.