The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said the Oyo State judgment, which nullified last year’s National Convention that elected the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC), is academic as there are pending cases before the Court of Appeal on the matter.
Turaki, at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, however, said the opposition party has already filed a Notice of Appeal as well as a Motion for Stay of Execution of the judgment.
“We are determined to pursue this matter diligently and to its logical conclusion in accordance with the law,” he stated.
According to him, the Ibadan judgement is only one among several decisions of the Federal High Court on the PDP leadership crisis.
The National Chairman stated that, notwithstanding the judgment, the NWC produced by the Ibadan convention “remains legally intact, firmly in place, and fully committed to the ongoing rebirth of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“I therefore urge our members and supporters across the country to remain calm and resolute. There is absolutely no cause for alarm. The rebirth movement is steadily on course.
“This judgment represents nothing more than the navigation of one of the judicial bends along our journey.
“The destination remains clear, and as history has consistently shown, it is the final outcome that ultimately matters.”
Turaki accused the presiding judge of granting the reliefs that were neither prayed for nor canvassed by any of the parties.
“More importantly, the judgment is in material conflict with subsisting orders and previous judgements of courts of coordinate jurisdiction,” he said.
He disclosed that the party approached the court seeking an order of mandamus to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Ibadan convention and to facilitate official party communications with the commission.
“In the course of the proceedings, some former members of our party, who had earlier been expelled, applied to be joined and were so joined by the court. They filed processes urging the court not to grant our prayers, without more,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Caretaker Committee loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said the judgment, which nullified the convention, is a victory for the rule of law, constitutionalism, and internal party democracy.
The faction in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jungude Haruna Mohammed, said the judgment reaffirmed PDP’s long-standing position that legitimacy could only be derived from strict compliance with its Constitution, extant laws, and valid court orders.
“We commend the judiciary for once again rising to its constitutional responsibility as the impartial arbiter in political and constitutional disputes,” the statement added.
It appealed to aggrieved members “to sheath their swords as this victory belongs to the entire PDP family.”
The faction said its doors are open for genuine reconciliation and integration.
“This will strengthen unity, deepen internal cohesion, and refocus collective efforts toward building a stronger and more formidable PDP,” it added.
