The leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a fresh turn on Wednesday as the Court of Appeal reportedly nullified the legal basis upon which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognised the party’s controversial Caretaker Committee.
In a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the Interim National Working Committee (INWC), Comrade Ini Ememobong, the appellate court held that there were no longer any live issues requiring determination since the dispute was tied to the party’s national convention, which had already been nullified by the Supreme Court.
According to the statement, the Court of Appeal further ruled that the aspect of the earlier judgment recognising the Caretaker Committee was not an issue properly placed before the court and therefore ought not to have been made. The court reportedly noted that while a retrial would ordinarily have been the appropriate remedy, such a step would serve no useful purpose as the substantive issue had become academic.
The statement also disclosed that the appellate court affirmed the suspension of A.K. Ajibade and held that he lacked the authority to act on behalf of the party, a decision which the Interim NWC said extends to Sam Anyanwu and others associated with the disputed leadership structure.
The PDP Interim National Working Committee maintained that the judgment effectively nullifies the earlier ruling of the Federal High Court in Ibadan, which INEC had relied upon in recognising the Caretaker Committee. Consequently, the party called on the electoral commission to immediately withdraw recognition from the caretaker arrangement and accord recognition to the Interim National Working Committee led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN.
The development is expected to further shape ongoing efforts to resolve the protracted leadership dispute within the opposition party ahead of future political engagements.
