CP-PDP faults misrepresentation of court order against S/ South zonal caretaker committee
By Tunde Opalana
The Conference of Professionals in the Peoples Democratic Party (CP-PDP) has said that the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja has not stopped the South South Zonal Caretaker Committee of the party from functioning .
The body at its weekly technical review in Abuja on Tuesday faulted reports indicating that the order by the Federal High Court has stopped the functioning of the South South Zonal Caretaker Committee appointed by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP.
The Conference observed that the order of the High Court, Abuja “cannot have a retroactive effect on the party as it was issued during the working hours of Monday 10th of March, 2025, after the appointment and assumption of office of the Chief Emmanuel Ogidi-led seven-member Zonal Caretaker Committee appointed in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP.
Clarifying issues, the Protem National Coordinator, CP-PDP, Barr. Obinna Nwachukwu in a statement said “it is instructive for the Conference to state that the Ogidi-led Zonal Caretaker Committee was appointed on Friday, 7th of March 2025 and effectively assumed office at 1:00 am of Monday, 10th of March 2025 following the expiration of the tenure of the immediate past Zonal Executive at 12 midnight of Sunday, 9th March 2025.
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“Moreso, the NWC appointed the Zonal Caretaker Committee in compliance with an Order of the High Court of Bayelsa State which in suit No BYHC/YHC/CV/99/2025 ordered the Party to constitute the South South Zonal Caretaker Committee so as to avoid a vacuum at the expiration of the tenure of the immediate past Zonal Executive at 12 midnight of Sunday, 9th March 2025.
“For further elucidation, it is also trite law that a Court Order cannot restrain or undo an action that has already taken place. The purpose of a Court Order is to prevent an action and not to reverse a completed act. It is also trite law that a Court cannot sit on or set aside a decision of another Court of concurrent jurisdiction.”
According to the body, “the import is that the appointment and assumption of office of the Ogidi-led Zonal Caretaker Committee are completed acts and cannot be reversed by an Order of Court of concurrent jurisdiction.
“Moreover, the appointment, composition and functioning of the Ogidi-led South South Zonal Caretaker Committee was not part of the matter before the High Court holden in Abuja and does not expressly form part of the reliefs sought by the litigants.”
The Conference therefore, cautioned against the resort to misrepresentation of the position of the Court by certain individuals who by all indications seek to cause confusion and derail the smooth running of the duly constituted South South Zonal Caretaker Committee of the PDP.
The CP-PDP reassured of its unalloyed commitment and dedication towards the unity, stability and growth of the PDP and democracy in Nigeria.
