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The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court nullifying the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, which produced former minister, Tanimu Turaki, as the party’s national chairman.
A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Mohammed Danjuma, upheld the earlier ruling delivered by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which stopped the convention on the grounds that the party failed to properly conduct congresses before the event.
In its judgment, the appellate court agreed with the lower court that the absence of duly conducted congresses undermined the legality of the convention that produced Turaki as national chairman of the opposition party.
The court also rejected the argument by the Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the matter was an internal party affair and therefore outside the jurisdiction of the court.
Earlier in the proceedings, the panel dismissed a preliminary objection filed by the Turaki faction which challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to entertain the suit.
Similarly, the appellate court rejected another objection raised by a faction of the party loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, which argued that Chris Uche was not competent to represent the PDP in the matter.
The court held that the objection lacked merit, noting that the former PDP National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, had earlier been suspended by the party’s National Working Committee, thereby validating the representation by Uche.
NATIONAL POST reports that the judgment, which is coming less than one month to the deadline for the submission of membership register to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has put the party in jeopardy.
There are now clear indications that Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and his Oyo State counterpart Seyi Makinde will quit the troubled party before April.
While Makinde is on his way to the African Democratic Congress, Mohammed is joining the All Progressives Congress.
With the development, FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike has consolidated his grip on the umbrella party.
