The Supreme Court has reserved judgment in an appeal filed by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the Court of Appeal decision that nullified the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, last year.
A five-member panel led by Justice Garba Mohammed said the date for judgment would be communicated to all parties after lawyers adopted their final written addresses.
The appeal was filed by the Taminu Turaki-led executives who emerged from the convention and are seeking to overturn the appellate court ruling.
Counsel to the appellants, Paul Erokoro (SAN), urged the apex court to allow the appeal and dismiss a cross-appeal filed by another PDP faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
However, representatives of former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and the Wike-backed group asked the court to dismiss the appeal, insisting that the matter was not an internal party affair and that the lower courts rightly assumed jurisdiction.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had earlier stopped the convention from holding until Lamido was allowed to obtain nomination forms to contest for the office of national chairman.
Despite the order, the PDP proceeded with the convention.
The Court of Appeal later ruled that the convention was conducted in disobedience to a valid court order and nullified its outcome.
The PDP is now asking the Supreme Court to set aside that judgment, while the respondents are urging the apex court to uphold the earlier ruling.
