Fresh Crisis hits PDP as Court nullifies Ibadan convention
A Federal High Court, Oyo Division has opened fresh hostility among factions of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as it nullified the national. convention of the party held in Ibadan between November 15-16 last year.
The court nullified the conduct, outcome, and entire proceedings of the
convention, thereby restraining the Tanimu Turaki SAN and others from parading themselves as National Working Committee of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and unequivocally recognized Abdulrahman Mohammed – led Caretaker Committee as the legitimate leadership of the party.
While the faction loyal to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike lauded the judgement, the Kabiru Turaki – led National Working Committee, NWC described the court verdict as mere academic exercise and applied for a stay of execution in Abuja.
Describing the ruling as triumph of rule of law, the caretaker committee the judgement represents “a decisive victory fo the rule of law, constitutionalism, and internal party democracy. It reaffirms the long-standing position of the PDP that legitimacy can only be derived from strict compliance with the constitution of the party, extant laws, and valid court orders”
Jungude Haruna Mohammed, National Publicity Secretary, National Caretaker Working Committee on behalf of the caretaker committee in a statement Friday therefore congratulated all its members and supporters for their “patience, resilience, and unwavering faith in due process throughout this period”, and further call on all members to remain calm, law-abiding, and united as they move forward in the spirit of “reconciliation, progress, and renewed commitment to the ideals of the party.
“We appeal to all aggrieved members to sheath their swords as this victory belongs to the entire PDP family. Our doors remain open for genuine reconciliation and integration. This will strengthen unity, deepen internal cohesion, and refocus collective efforts toward building a stronger and more formidable PDP.
“We commend the Judiciary for once again rising to its constitutional responsibility as the impartial arbiter in political and constitutional disputes,” he said.
Reacting to the ruling, Turaki said the NWC under his leadership remain the authentic leaders of the party in the sense that all rulings so far delivered in the running leadership tussle were given by courts of equal jurisdiction .
He raised the hope that the party has immediately applied for a stay of execution pending the outcome of the court processes.
Addressing journalists in Abuja in Friday evening, Turaki explained circumstances surrounding the judgement of the Oyo Federal High Court.
He said “we are aware of the judgment delivered earlier today, which essentially declined to grant the order of mandamus sought by our party. The court held that granting such an order would amount to sitting on appeal over the judgments of courts of coordinate jurisdiction.
“For clarity, we approached the court seeking an order of mandamus to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the National Convention and to facilitate official party communications with the Commission.
“In the course of the proceedings, some former members of our party, who had either been expelled or had resigned, applied to be joined in the matter and were so joined by order of the court. They filed processes urging the court not to grant our prayers.
“However, it is important to note, respectfully, that the court went beyond the reliefs sought and granted orders that were neither prayed for nor canvassed by any of the parties before it.
“More importantly, the judgment is materially inconsistent with existing orders and previous judgments of courts of coordinate jurisdiction, all of which are already subjects of appeal before the Court of Appeal.”
Turaki said the party has taken proactive steps against the judgement.
He said, “consequently, we have filed a notice of appeal as well as a motion for stay of execution of the judgment, and we are determined to pursue this matter diligently and logically, in accordance with the law.
*For the benefit of members of the press, this is our notice of appeal. And this is our application for stay of execution of the same judgment delivered this morning. As you can see, we have already appealed and applied for a stay.
“Until that application is heard and determined one way or the other, the judgment is in abeyance”.
He explained that this judgment is only one among several decisions of the Federal High Court on this same subject matter.
“The core issues arising from them are already before the Court of Appeal. In that sense, this particular judgment is, technically speaking, academic, pending the authoritative pronouncement of the appellate court,” he explained.
The national chairman assured members of the party that, notwithstanding this judgment, “the National Working Committee produced by the Convention remains legally intact, firmly in place, and fully committed to the ongoing rebirth of the People’s Democratic Party.”
Turaki therefore urged all members and supporters across the country to remain calm and resolute adding that there is absolutely no cause for alarm and that the rebirth movement is steadily on course.
“This judgment represents nothing more than the navigation of one judicial bend along our journey. The destination remains clear, and as history has consistently shown, it is the final outcome that ultimately matters,” he said.
