March 09, (THEWILL) — On Monday, the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld the judgement of the Federal High Court ordering the suspension of the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) until former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, is allowed to purchase the party’s chairmanship nomination form.
The appellate court dismissed an appeal filed by Ali Odefa and another appellant linked to the faction of the party aligned with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, challenging the earlier ruling of the Federal High Court delivered by Justice James Omotosho.
In the case CHIEF ALI ODEFA and ANOR v AUSTINE NWACHUKWU and 9 ORS, the Court of Appeal held that the appeal filed by Odefa and his co-appellant was incompetent, ruling that the appellants lacked the legal standing required to institute the action.
The court specifically held that the appellants lacked locus standi to challenge the decision of the lower court, thereby rendering the appeal invalid.
The appellate court further ruled that Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi were not officials of the PDP at the time they filed the appeal against the judgement of the Federal High Court, making their action legally defective.
Consequently, the court dismissed the appeal and imposed a ₦2 million cost against the appellants, widely seen as members of the Makinde-backed Turaki faction within the party.
The ruling effectively affirms the earlier decision of the Federal High Court, which halted the PDP national convention pending the resolution of disputes surrounding the party’s leadership contest and Lamido’s participation in the race for the national chairmanship.
Justice Omotosho had ruled that Lamido must be allowed to obtain the chairmanship nomination form before the party proceeds with its convention, stressing the need for fairness and due process in the conduct of internal party elections.
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