A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Muhammed Abdulrahman has urged the Umar Damagum leadership to adhere to court judgments amid a deepening leadership crisis within the party.
Delegates from across the country have arrived in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital city for the convention billed to hold later in the day.
The delegates, who started arriving Ibadan since Thursday, are lodged in various hotels across the capital city.
The faction gave the advice at a news conference in Abuja on Friday, where they spoke on the report of the Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees (BoT) Reconciliation Committee.
The briefing was jointly addressed by the PDP South-South Zonal Secretary, Turnah George; PDP Chairman, Abia State, Amah Abraham; and Imo State Chairman, Austin Nwachukwu
Mr George warned that proceeding with the Saturday convention despite an Abuja Federal High Court judgment and the BoT’s reconciliation committee’s recommendations would be an exercise in futility.
He added that the judgment of the Abuja High Court delivered by Justice James Omotosho on the convention was already before the Court of Appeal.
He noted, “Once a matter is before the appellate court, all parties must maintain the status quo. You cannot proceed with a convention. Furthermore, Justice Peter Lifu’s judgment on unlawful exclusion strengthens this. If they proceed, they will be acting in open violation of the law.”
Mr George insisted that no PDP convention could hold, noting that the only officers empowered to issue notices, the acting National Chairman, Abdulrahman, and the National Secretary, Sam Anyanwu, had officially stated that there would be no convention.
He added that his group had fully accepted the BoT committee’s recommendations that the convention should be placed on hold.
“If the other group rejects this golden opportunity for peace, we will proceed with the appeal. If they continue in defiance, the matter may go all the way to the Supreme Court. Eventually, the rule of law will prevail,” Mr George said.
He questioned how a national convention could proceed while disenfranchising delegates from 14 states including the South-East zone, where he alleged
“The court and the BoT have affirmed that the issues we raised were legitimate. Therefore, Nigerians must know the truth—who is on the side of the law, and who is on the side of impunity,” he stated.
Also speaking, Imo State PDP Chairman, Mr Nwachukwu pointed to the ruling by Justice Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday as another reason not to proceed.
Mr Nwachukwu said that the court already held that it was wrong and unjust to deny former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, the right to participate in the convention and ordered that he must be allowed to purchase forms and participate in any future convention.
“The court also cautioned the PDP to stop acts of impunity,” Mr Nwachukwu said.
Mr Nwachukwu called on the faction’s BoT Chairman, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, and Mr Abdulrahman to implement the BoT reconciliation committee report.
He said, “The report did not come from us; it came from the BoT, the conscience of our party. We urge the leadership to quickly implement the recommendations, which will address our concerns and restore order.”
He noted that the Federal High Court had ordered the PDP to put its house in order, stressing that anyone who loves the PDP must obey that order.
“We are ready to sit with anyone who respects the law. Political situations involve give-and-take. When we reach that bridge, we will cross it,” Mr Nwachukwu he said.
On his part, Mr Abraham, the Abia PDP chairman, stressed the need to implement the recommendations of the BoT reconciliation committee, which he noted was made up of six eminent Nigerians representing the six geopolitical zones.
“Implementing their recommendations will restore sanity amidst the ongoing crisis,” Mr Abraham said.
Meanwhile, the Adolphus Wabara-led BoT had dissociated itself from the purported report of the BoT Reconciliation Committee being circulated in some section of the media.
Mr Wabara in a statement on Saturday said that the content of the said report was not and did not represent the official position of the board.
He said that having not been considered or adopted by the BoT, the report could not in any form or guise whatsoever be regarded as the position of the BoT.
Mr Wabara said that the BoT was unwavering in its endorsement of the conduct of the elective National Convention as scheduled on Saturday in Ibadan for the purpose of electing new set of leaders to pilot the affairs of the party in the next four years.
He stated, “This position is guided by the Judgment of the Supreme Court which reaffirmed the supremacy of a political party in the conduct of its internal affairs.
“In that regard, the BoT rejects any suggestion for a Caretaker Committee for the party. Such idea cannot be contemplated as the Board and, of course the PDP, have irreversibly decided for an elective national convention which is within the scope of the internal affairs of the party to which the courts have no jurisdiction.
“The BoT therefore urges party members to remain committed and focused on the success of the Elective National Convention.”
(NAN)
