PDP vows to appeal, says court order won’t stop national convention

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the judgement of the federal high court stopping its forthcoming national convention will not halt its preparations for the event.

In a statement on Thursday, PDP spokesperson Debo Ologunagba described the judgement as “an assault on Nigeria’s democratic process.”

Ologunagba said despite the ruling, the opposition PDP remains “fully empowered” to continue with the processes leading to the convention, where new national officers will be elected.

“However, the PDP states that the judgement of the court does not vitiate its ability to proceed with the processes and activities towards the National Convention to elect new National Officers to pilot the affairs of the Party for the next four years,” he said.

He said a recent supreme court judgment affirmed the “supremacy of a political party in the management of its internal affairs”.

“The PDP therefore charges its members, chapters and organs to remain steadfast and focused on preparations towards the holding of the National Convention of our party.

“Nevertheless, the PDP, as the leading opposition party in Nigeria, committed to the rule of law, has accordingly directed its lawyers to take immediate action to appeal this judgement in our unwavering determination to uphold, defend and promote multi-party democracy in our country,” Ologunagba stated.

The statement was a reaction to a judgement on Friday, where a federal high court in Abuja stopped the party’s planned national convention, scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan.

James Omotosho, the presiding judge, stated that the PDP “failed to hold valid state congresses before the planned national convention.”

Omotosho said notices and correspondence signed by the PDP national chairman without the national secretary’s co-signature were “invalid” and a “breach of the law”.

The judge also faulted the party for failing to issue the mandatory 21-day notice to INEC, “thereby preventing the commission from fulfilling its oversight role of monitoring such activities.”

He declared that the PDP’s non-compliance “had jeopardised its planned convention,” advising the party to “rectify the infractions before proceeding.”

Consequently, the court barred INEC from “receiving, publishing, or recognising any outcome” from the proposed convention until the PDP meets all statutory requirements.