Court of Appeal rules in favor of scheduled PDP National Convention

On Friday, the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, ruled that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could go ahead with its National Convention, which is scheduled to take place this Saturday in Abuja, according to a report by Channels Television.

The court refused to grant a request by Uche Secondus, the embattled former national chairman of the PDP, who wanted the Convention stopped. The panel added he was targeting to re-contest the same office he was sacked from.

Reading the court’s decision on behalf of the panel, Justice Gabriel Kolawole recalled that the application, which he termed consequentially, was filled on October 14. The court took all arguments on the 28th after some amendments.

He recalled that Secondus, on two grounds, was seeking an Order of Injunction restraining the PDP from holding the Convention, pending the hearing and determination of his sacking.

The other was an order directing parties to the appeal to maintain Status Quo Ante Bellum before August 22, when he, as the National Chairman of the party, was removed, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.

Kolawole noted that the court listened to the various counsels in the matter and rreviewedssues raised by the parties, noting that there was no legal right in suspending the lower clower court’s decisionstantive case.

He regretted that since August, the party decided on the Convention and set up committees to man the event that he (Secondus) did not take any step only to come a few days to the Convention to seek suspension.

On the rights issues, Kolawole said that there was no personal right that the court could protect the applicant because the office he occupied as the chairman of the party was public.

He lamented that Secondus had remained silent since he was sacked and his office taken without saying a word, adding that his late move was to take a shot at the National Convention.

Kolawole said granting the prayers would cause inconveniences, noting that greater justice would be done by refusing the application of the appellant to stop the Convention or annulling the lower court’s decision.

“The appellant (Secondus) motion fails and is dismissed. The sixth respondent (PDP) is empowered to hold its Convention without hindrances,” he read.

Suzan O /NAN