CYRIL MBAH, Abuja
The Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party has hailed a Wednesday judgment of the Court of Appeal that invalidated the recognition of a PDP Caretaker Committee, constituted by the Nyesom Wike faction of the party, saying that the decision clears the path for the duly constituted Interim National Working Committee.
The party said in a statement issued on Wednesday by the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong Essien that the Court of Appeal held that there were no longer any live issues in the appeal.
According to the party, the main issue in the matter related only to the national convention, which the Supreme Court had already nullified.
The Court of Appeal also held, inter alia, that the portion of the Federal High Court judgment recognising the Caretaker Committee was not an issue before it and therefore ought not to have been made in the first place.
The appellate court stated that the right decision would have been to order a retrial on that point. However, it added that since the main issue had become academic, a retrial would serve no useful purpose.
Furthermore, the Court affirmed the suspension of A.K. Ajibade and, by extension, Sam Anyanwu and others and held that Ajibade had no power to act on behalf of the party.
The PDP said further that the judgment of the Court of Appeal effectively nullifies the earlier decision of the Federal High Court in Ibadan, which had formed the basis for certain recognitions within the party.
The party noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission had relied on the FHC Ibadan judgment as its basis for recognising the illegal Wike-backed Caretaker Committee.
It said the party now expects INEC to immediately withdraw the recognition of the committee.
According to the statement, INEC is expected to now recognise the duly constituted Interim National Working Committee led by Barrister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, as the authentic leadership of the PDP.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Interim NWC, Comrade Ini Ememobong Essien, who signed the statement, confirmed the party’s position on the court’s decision.
The PDP described the ruling as a validation of its internal processes and said it would continue to work with relevant institutions to ensure compliance with the judgment in the interest of stability.
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