A judge of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan has annulled the elective national convention of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP held in November last year.
Justice Uche Agomoh on Friday declared that all actions and decisions taken at the convention are illegal.
According to her, the convention was conducted in violation of existing court orders, the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act, and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Justice Agomoh explained that the Turaki-led faction of the PDP had approached the court seeking several reliefs, including an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to recognise the convention and upload the names of the newly elected national officers on its website, as well as accept formal communications from the party.
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However, the court questioned the claimants’ decision to disregard a subsisting order issued by Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja which had restrained the party from holding the convention.
The judge described the move to approach the Ibadan court to legitimise the exercise as an attempt to validate what she termed a nullity.
Justice Agomoh went ahead to declare that the PDP Caretaker Committee remains the only lawful and legitimate body authorised to manage the affairs of the party pending the conduct of a valid national convention.
The judge added that INEC is duty-bound to relate with and recognise the caretaker committee.
Reacting to the judgment, counsel for the PDP Caretaker Committee, Ferdinand Orbih, said the court had spoken and urged all parties to respect and abide by the ruling.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
