Connect with us

Politics

PDP shuns Justice Abang’s order, goes ahead with convention

Published

on

, PDP to INEC: We won't tolerate rerun poll manipulation

Despite the ruling of an Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Okon Abang, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), insists its national convention must hold.

The convention is slated to hold on August 17 (tomorrow), but Justice Abang, in his court ruling on Monday, issued an order suspending the party from holding the convention.

Abang’s ruling came after another Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, had endorsed the convention and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor it.

In reaction to the latest ruling by Abang in a statement issued Monday evening, spokesman of the PDP, Mr Dayo Adeyeye, stated that the party as a law abiding organisation would only obey the Port Harcourt Federal High Court until it is set aside by a “court of competent jurisdiction”.

It further said, “Our attention has been drawn once again to another act of judicial recklessness by the Honourable Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Okon Abang of the purported suspension of the PDP National Convention holding in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Wednesday the 17th of August 2016.

“We wish to however state that a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, had earlier in the day given a comprehensive order wherein the Honourable Judge specifically ordered the PDP to proceed with the convention as scheduled without hindrance.

“Indeed his lordship while giving the order mandated all relevant agencies including the police, DSS (Department of State Service) and INEC to cooperate with the party in organising a hitch-free national convention.

Read also: Again, Justice Abang suspends PDP’s convention

“You may also wish to note that the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, gave an interlocutory order while Justice Okon Abang, Abuja, gave an interim order.

“The order of the Port Harcourt Court is clearly superior and earlier in time to the interim order given by Justice Okon Abang. In the light of the above, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as a law abiding party is obeying the order of the Port Harcourt, Federal High Court until set aside by any competent court of jurisdiction.

“In view of the above, the 2016 Repeat National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will continue as scheduled, as we welcome all delegates, party leaders, other critical stakeholders, the INEC monitoring team and other friends of PDP to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while wishing all our members and supporters a successful national convention,” Adeyeye said.

By Ebere Ndukwu …

RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now