The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP Governors Forum, Governor Bala Mohammed of of Bauchi State is leading his Adamawa State counterpart, Ahmadu Fintiri who’s is the Chairman planning Committee and Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State have joined his Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State in Ibadan for today’s national elective convention in the face of series of court cases over the today’s event.
The South-West chairman of the party, Kamorudeen Ajisafe, disclosed this on Friday.
The major court cases standing in the way of the party’s convention were those of former governor of Jigawa, Sule Lamido, who on Friday extracted a favourable judgement from Peter Lifu of Federal High Court in Abuja who ordered the party to suspend the convention.
Lamido is seeking justice after he was denied the opportunity to purchase the PDP national chairmanship nomination form.
The other litigation on the PDP convention was by on Mr Folahan Adelabi who is asking an Oyo State Hight Court to stop the event.
The Ibadan court on Friday adjourned the matter to Dec. 8, ruling in an application challenging its jurisdiction in a suit filed by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the party’s National Convention.
Adelabi had sued the PDP as first respondent, PDP Acting National Chairman,Umar Damagun as second respondent, Gov.Umar Fintiri of Adamawa State, who is the Chairman PDP National Convention Organising Committee as third respondent as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the fourth respondent in the suit.
At the Friday proceeding, the INEC counsel, O. Adeyemi moved and adopted his notice of preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court and urged the court to strike out the suit.
He said the court lacked the powers to prevent INEC, from carrying out its duty as prescribed by sections of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution as amended.
Adeyemi said that only the Federal High Court has the power to entertain the suit and not the State High Court, adding that all the claimant’s reliefs border on the PDP convention and not on enforcement of fundamental human right.
“By Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution only the Federal High Court and not other Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter,” he said.
He prayed the court to uphold his preliminary objection and strike out the suit of the claimant.
The Counsel to first and second respondents, PDP and Damagun, Mr D.Durosaro informed the court that he didn’t filed a counter response to the preliminary objection.
The Counsel to Fintiri, third respondent, Mr Fredrick Ladopo also told the court that he didn’t filed a response to the preliminary objection.
In his counter argument,the claimant’s Counsel,Mr Musibau Adetumbi SAN, while opposing the preliminary objection,urged the court to dismiss it.
Before today’s national elective convention, the PDP had been deeply engrossed in leadership crisis with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT Nyesom Wike leading one faction and Governor Bala Mohammed of of Bauchi State and BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara.
The climax of the crisis resulted in the suspension of the Aliyu Damagum-led National Working Committee and emergency of a new one under one Abdulrahman Mohammed.
Also the party before this day suffered deep depletion of its topmost members including it’s presidential aspirant former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his running mate Ifeanyi Okowa as well as governors and many serving Senators and House of Representatives members
Despite all these legal fire works and leadership tussles, preparations for the event were not only completed, delegates from different states were seen in happy mood, dancing to the rhythm of traditional drums.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE reports that delegates from Lagos, FCT, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Delta had arrived at the venue, while those from other states were still trooping in as of the time of this report.
Meanwhile, the police are on ground with an Armoured Personnel Carrier with stern-looking security operatives in it stationed at the entrance to the convention venue.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE cannot independently ascertain the presence of otherwise of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, but it was learnt that the INEC would not be monitoring the convention as demanded by law
According to an anonymous senior official of the commission involved in monitoring party conventions, “INEC will not monitor the PDP convention.”
Another anonymous INEC official, said the “INEC is law-abiding. We will obey the FCT High Court.”
