The leading pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has challenged the court of Appeal to decide the leadership conflict within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in line with the due process of the law bearing in mind that whatever verdict that emanates from them would either make or mar opposition politics in the country or could lead to the rebuilding or destruction of the party.
“HURIWA is convinced that the Court of Appeal of Nigeria has the opportunity of a lifetime to give a decision in the leadership contests within the opposition PDP that would be fair, just, equitable. The members of the civil society community in Nigeria are watching to see what kind of judgment would be read out whenever the panelists invite the contending politicians back to the court for the judgment.
“There are two options that would follow the judgment of the Court of Appeal and also the highest court in Nigeria which is the Supreme Court of Nigeria if a further appeal is instituted. These options are either to give a well-intentioned, well-considered, just, fair and transparent judgment that would help to rebuild the party supported by the few governors that the All Progressives Congress haven’t succeeded in poaching away or the Appellate court would simply donate the PDP to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory Barrister Nyesom Wike who has made it known that he doesn’t want any kind of opposition to the second term ambition of the incumbent president. The ball is in the court of the Appellate court. Already, the popular view amongst most Nigerians is that the judiciary is already pocketed by the Executive arm of government that recently donated housing assets to justices and judges in the Federal Capital Territory.”
HURIWA recalled that the Court of Appeal in Abuja had reserved judgment in the nine appeals filed by the two feuding factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in relation to decisions of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
A three-member panel of the appellate court made the announcement after lawyers for the parties in the appeals adopted their briefs and made final submissions.
The court said parties would be informed when the judgments are ready.
The appeals are principally against the decisions by Justices James Omotosho, Joyce Abdulmalik, and Peter Lifu of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.
Justices Omotosho and Lifu restrained the PDP from proceeding with the national convention scheduled for Ibadan on November 15 and 16, Oyo State on the grounds that the party failed to comply with necessary legal provisions.
Justice Omotosho’s judgment was on the suit by three aggrieved members of the party, namely, Hon Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Hon Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South)
Justice Life’s judgment was on the suit filed by former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, who claimed to have been denied the right to contest the party’s chairmanship seat at the convention.
On Thursday, the lawyer to the appellants, including Chris Uche (SAN), prayed the court to allow the appeals filed by his clients and set aside the judgments appealed against.
Lawyers to the respondents, including Joseph Daudu (SAN), urged the court to reject the appeal and affirmed the decisions of the Federal High Court.
HURIWA in its reaction stated that millions of the lovers of democracy expect that the Court of Appeal wouldn’t use the expected judgment to hit the nail on the coffin of political opposition by awarding the party to the loyalists of the minister of FCT because if that is done then that is the existential end of the PDP.
“We expect that justice should not only be done but must be seen to have been done”, says HURIWA in a media statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko.
