Stakeholders and leadership of the Nyesom Wike/ Samuel Anyanwu and the Governor Bala Mohammed/ Tanimu Turaki-led factions of the Peoples Democratic Party are currently gathered at the Court of Appeal, Abuja for the judgment on the nine consolidated cases brought by the party
The cases border on the legality of the November 15 and 16 national convention of the party held in Ibadan, last year, amongst several others
BusinessDay observed that the leadership of the factions represented by Turaki, the current National Chairman, who was elected at the Ibadan convention, and Samuel Anyanwu exchanged pleasantries, shaking hands as they took their positions in the court.
The Wike group had mobilised 58 lawyers to represent them, as against the 10 representing the Turaki-led group
Chairman of the Panel, Justice Mohammed Danjuma, at the commencement of the judgement, noted that “The judgements are actually lengthy, but we will introduce them, go to the highlights and conclusion. The CTC will be ready by tomorrow at the latest.”
According to him, “Whether Kamaldeen Ajibade’s suspension as National Legal Adviser was right or wrong, we will not contest it because it is an internal affair of the party.”
He, however, ruled that “Ajibade can no longer act or carry out any duty for the People’s Democratic Party as National Legal Adviser. Therefore, whatever action he carried out as National Legal Adviser is null and void.”
The panel therefore declared that ” The preliminary objections raised by the respondents, faction loyal to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that Chris Uche is not a proper legal counsel to represent PDP have been dismissed by the court because the former PDP National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, was suspended by the party’s National Working Committee, NWC.
The Appeal Court has also dismissed the argument of the PDP faction led by Tanimu Turaki that the Federal High Court judge, Justice James Omotosho, lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit against the Ibadan Convention because the issues bordered on internal affairs of the party.
Details later…
