The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld a lower court’s decision to block the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from proceeding with its planned national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.
On Monday, a three-member panel unanimously dismissed the PDP’s appeal against the October 31 ruling by Justice James Omotosho, which had restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing the convention’s outcome.
The appellate court resolved all four primary issues for determination against the party, concluding that the appeal “was without merit and that the Federal High Court was right to have delivered the October 31 judgment and granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs.”
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The panel rejected the PDP’s argument that the judiciary lacked jurisdiction because the matter was an internal party affair.
Instead, the court ruled that the plaintiffs possessed the legal right to sue “to protect their democratic rights” and dismissed claims that the party had been denied a fair hearing.
In a stinging rebuke, the court characterized the challenge as “frivolous” and awarded “the sum of N2 million as costs against the PDP (Turaki group)” for filing the appeal.
While leaders from both factions were in attendance on Monday, the legal battle continues as the court noted it “will hear other Judgements and rulings of the party” moving forward.
