The Supreme Court judgment on Thursday on the leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has further compounded the party’s problem. The two factions are still laying claim to the party’s leadership.
The apex court justices had, in a split judgment, three to two, nullified the Ibadan national convention that elected Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC).
But the Turaki faction said the court also upheld the suspension of Senator Samuel Anyanwu and others, and therefore, invited Senator Adolphus Wabara-led PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) to take over the affairs of the party pending the constitution of the interim National Caretaker Committee.
BoT Secretary, Dr Mu’Azu Babangida Aliyu, who briefed journalists at the end of the board meeting on Thursday, said the board has taken over the affairs of the party.
“We are very happy that the Supreme Court has come clearly on this matter,” Aliyu stated, adding that the BoT cannot, “in good conscience, allow the party to become leaderless and rudderless and without direction.”
But the PDP faction loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said the judgement of the Supreme Court is unambiguous in nullifying the Ibadan convention and nothing else. Jungudo Mohammed, at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, argued that the judgment did not uphold any suspension or expulsion of any officer of the party.
“The reason is simple: The issue of suspension or expulsion was never before the Federal High Court, let alone the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court. “It was neither canvassed at the Federal High Court nor formed part of the questions for determination at any level of ad- judication,” Mohammed explained.
He maintained that there has never been a vacuum or absence of leadership in PDP that presupposes an interim takeover of the administration by the BoT. “The leadership structure of the PDP remains intact, lawful, and fully operational under the able National Chairman, Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed, and our indefatigable National Secretary, Distinguished Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
“Their positions remain duly recognised. “What we are witnessing is a desperate attempt by a rejected group to twist the clear facts contained in the judgement of the Supreme Court to mislead the public and seek undeserved sympathy.
“I make it bold to say that the judgment is a pub- lic document which can be accessed by anybody to ascertain the content of the said judgment,” Mohammed said.
