Court of Appeal Postpones PDP Convention Dispute Indefinitely

The Court of Appeal in Ibadan on Wednesday postponed the lawsuit surrounding the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Ibadan elective convention, with no new hearing date specified.

The appellate court also granted the parties leave to resolve the dispute amicably outside the courtroom.

During the proceedings, the panel of justices advised the parties to explore a peaceful settlement of the dispute.

The court ruled that, should the parties fail to reach an agreement, they are at liberty to return to court for further proceedings on the matter.

The justices also urged counsel representing the parties to provide proper guidance to their clients in order to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the dispute.

In addition, the court cautioned the lawyers to be mindful of time, particularly in view of the recently released electoral timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had recently invalidated the PDP elective convention held in Ibadan.

The convention had produced Kabiru Turaki (SAN) as the National Chairman of the party.

Delivering a unanimous judgment on Monday, a three-member panel of the appellate court held that the appeal filed by the PDP lacked merit.

The panel resolved the four issues raised for determination against the party and affirmed the October 31 ruling delivered by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court of Nigeria.

The lower court had granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs, including restraining INEC from recognising the outcome of the planned convention.