The Supreme Court has laid to rest the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), invalidating the party’s convention held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, in November last year, and the emergence of Kabir Turaki as a rival national chairperson of the party alongside other members.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court affirmed the Court of Appeal’s decision in a 3-2 spit judgement.
The judgement effectively ends the challenge to the faction of the party aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The Wike group held its convention in March, re-electing Abdulrahman Mohammed, and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC).
Delivering the lead majority judgement, Justice Stephen Adah held that the convention which produced Mr Turaki and his group as the leaders of the party were conducted in disobedience to court orders.
This judgement barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the Ibadan convention.
The PDP appeal was filed by a faction led by MrTuraki, challenging a Court of Appeal judgement delivered on 9 March in Abuja.
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The appellate court upheld earlier rulings of the Federal High Court, which invalidated the party’s convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, from 15 to 16 November last year.
The lower courts held that the convention, which produced Mr Turaki and other party executives, was illegal and barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising its outcomes.
Dissatisfied with the rulings, the Turaki-led faction filed an appeal at the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the decisions of the lower courts.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Garba Lawal heard the appeal on 22 April and reserved judgement.
…More details later
