The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction led by Kabiru Turaki has taken steps to prevent a rival faction loyal to Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), from holding a national convention scheduled for March 29 and 30. The move is aimed at preventing the apex court's judgment in a pending appeal from being rendered nugatory. The Court of Appeal had previously nullified last year's national convention that produced Turaki-led leadership of the PDP.
The main reason for the injunction is to prevent the rival faction from taking steps to present a fait accompli to Turaki and his members while the merits of the appeal are yet to be decided. The PDP faction is seeking to set aside the Court of Appeal's judgment, which affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court, and also strike out the respondents from the appeal for want of jurisdiction.
The respondents include Austine Nwachukwu, Amah Abraham Nnanna, Turnah Alabh George, and other party officials. The Court of Appeal had previously upheld the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja, which had restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing the outcome of last year's National Convention of the PDP.
The PDP had gone ahead to conduct the convention despite advice from a lawyer, Omotosho, that the party should conduct congresses in the affected states before proceeding with the national convention. The rival faction had approached the appellate court to nullify the verdict of Omotosho, but the court disagreed with the appellants that the case bordered on internal affairs of a party, which no court has jurisdiction.
The Supreme Court's decision on the PDP's appeal will have significant implications for the party's leadership and the country's democratic process. The move by the Turaki-led faction to restrain the rival faction from holding a national convention highlights the deep-seated divisions within the party. The PDP's internal squabbles threaten to undermine the party's ability to present a united front in the upcoming elections. The Supreme Court's judgment will determine the fate of the PDP's leadership and the party's chances in the elections. The court's decision will also set a precedent for future party disputes and internal conflicts.
