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Accuses Wike of Contempt
- Safiu Kehinde
The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, of violating court’s order with his conduct of a fresh National Convention.
NPO Reported that the Wike-backed faction had on Sunday held the convention at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium with Abdulrahman Mohammed emerging as the National Chairman of the faction.
The convention also saw Samuel Anyanwu return as the faction’s National Secretary.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the Turaki-led faction accused Wike of commitment contempt as he allegedly violated the Appeal Court’s ruling.
The faction affirmed that the Supreme Court will have the final say over the leadership of the party.
“With the series of disturbing activities occurring in succession within the last 48 hours, genuine members of the Peoples Democratic Party across the country have expressed their concerns and are asking what the future holds for the party and our country’s democracy, by extension.
“To them, and other fair-minded, democracy-loving Nigerians, we reassure that we have taken this battle to the Supreme Court for the determination of all the issues relating to the leadership of our party, particularly as it relates to what constitutes an internal affair.
“With this appeal and the relevant concomitant applications filed and served on all the parties involved, we are hopeful that sooner, rather than later, the apex court will, in the interest of democracy, expeditiously hear and adjudicate on this matter.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we state that the pre-Easter jamboree of APC sympathisers and members of “Wike’s Autocratic Party”, which they mischievously tagged a PDP convention, was held in contempt of the Court of Appeal, where parties had entered appearances and agreed with the Court on the way to proceed with the matter, only to turn around and undertake acts capable of destroying the res.” The statement partly read.
The PDP faction further disclosed filing an appeal against the ruling Federal High Court judge, Justice Abdulmalik who was alleged to have earlier today delivered a judgement granting the Wike-backed faction access to the party’s national secretariat.
“Additionally, the Federal High Court, Abuja, per Justice Abdulmalik, whom we had earlier applied to for recusal on the basis of her bias against us, expectedly delivered judgment this morning in favour of the Wike-backed APC apologists, granting them access to the PDP secretariat and directing security agencies to offer them protection while in occupation of the said secretariat.
“In response, we have directed our lawyers to immediately file an appeal and other relevant applications against this judgment.
On the whole, we must admit what is already public knowledge- these are very trying times for us, the PDP, and all opposition parties in Nigeria.” Ememobong wrote.
Meanwhile, the PDP spokesperson accused the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of orchestrated the crisis within the party in alleged bid to promote a one-party state.
Ememobong charged the Supreme Court to uphold and defend the Nigerian constitution in its final judgement over the PDP’s leadership crisis.
“These crises are clearly orchestrated by the Bola Tinubu-led APC government, who have shown morbid fear for the existence of alternative political platforms, and are determined to foist a one-party state on the country.
“This fear is fuelled by their knowledge of the impending rejection Nigerians are waiting to serve them because of their abysmal performance in core governance issues like security, the economy, and social welfare.
“We urge our members and all Nigerians to keep hope alive in the sincere expectation that the apex court will come to the rescue of multi-party democracy in the appeal before them.
“The Supreme Court now has the historic opportunity to uphold and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its earlier decisions on the jurisdiction of courts in internal affairs of political parties, when it has its final say.” The spokesperson added.