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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said there is no basis for the statement by Senator Adolphus Wabara that the Board of Trustees (BoT) has taken over the leadership of the opposition party.
The National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, who spoke at a press briefing at the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja, on Friday, said it is not true that the opposition party has no leadership in the aftermath of the Supreme Court judgment on the PDP leadership tussle.
The Supreme Court, on Thursday, dismissed the appeal by the Tanimu Turaki-led NWC against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which nullified the PDP National Convention held in Ibadan last November. The apex court also dismissed a cross-appeal on the judgment of the Court of Appeal regarding the suspension of some party functionaries.
Wabara, in a statement in his capacity as BoT Chairman, said the import of the judgment was that there was no effective leadership in the opposition party, noting that the board has taken charge of the PDP.
However, Mohammed contended that the main matter decided by the court was the nullification of the Ibadan convention, stating that the court did not determine the suspension or expulsion of any members of the PDP.
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“Let it be clear and unambiguous that the Supreme Court judgment of yesterday only nullified the illegal Ibadan ‘convention’ and dismissed the appeal filed by the Turaki-led purported National Working Committee for lacking in merit. This remains the sole substance of the judgment, contrary to the false narratives being circulated. The judgment did not uphold any suspension or expulsion of any officer of the party,” he stated.
According to him, “the reason is simple: the issue of suspension or expulsion was never before the Federal High Court, let alone the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court. It was neither canvassed at the Federal High Court nor formed part of the questions for determination at any level of adjudication.
“The apex court addressed only the matter before it, which is the validity or otherwise of the so-called 15th and 16th Ibadan ‘Convention’. Accordingly, throughout the Supreme Court judgment, there was no mention whatsoever of suspension or expulsion of any party officer.”
Mohammed noted that, “It is also important to state that there has never been a vacuum, obstruction, or absence of leadership in our party that presupposes an interim takeover of the administration of the Party by any authority. The leadership structure of the PDP remains intact, lawful, and fully operational under the able National Chairman, Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed, and our indefatigable National Secretary, Distinguished Senator Samuel Anyanwu. Their positions remain duly recognised.”
He added: “There is no provision in the party’s constitution that grants the Board of Trustees the power to take over the leadership of the party or assume the functions of the National Working Committee. Most curious is the claim by Senator Adolphus Wabara, whose tenure as Chairman of the Board of Trustees had long expired even before the onset of this crisis. The only known legitimate leadership of the Party’s Board of Trustees is that led by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa.”
