Posted by By GODWIN TSA, TAIWO AMODU Abuja on
The National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) can now hold today without legal hitches following the voluntary withdrawal of the suit seeking to stop the convention by a faction of the party.Accordingly, the presiding judge, Justice Ishaq Bello struck out the suit to clear the way for the convention.
The National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) can now hold today without legal hitches following the voluntary withdrawal of the suit seeking to stop the convention by a faction of the party. Accordingly, the presiding judge, Justice Ishaq Bello struck out the suit to clear the way for the convention.
The plaintiffs; Abdullahi Maibirgi, Chief Iroha C. Iroha and Hajia Ceceko were pressing for the stoppage of the convention on the grounds that it was not constitutionally convened.
We have our deal
Justice Bello struck out the suit and awarded N10, 000 cost against the plaintiffs in favour of Mr. Tony Anyanwu who had demanded for N200,000 cost from them for wasting his time and money on unnecessary litigation.
The plaintiffs contended that the National Working Committee of the party is not legally competent to appoint Convention Organizing Committee, Congress Appeal Panel and the Convention Monitoring Committee. They argued that the NWC by appointing members of the committee has taken over the function of the National Executive Committee of the party.
They had prayed the court to issue several reliefs in their favour. Immediately after the suit was struck out yesterday, the plaintiffs who were present in court spoke with newsmen on why they backed out.
Their spokesperson, Mr. Abdullahi Maibirgi conveyed their message and said: "We had instituted this legal action to press home our demand and campaign for internal democracy built around the principle of due process, transparency and the rule of law in the PDP. We did that not as renegades nor as agents of destabilization or puppets, working for extraneous reason or detrimental to the party.
"Some of these developments include the resolve of the party's leadership at the national level to conduct the national convention within the principle and doctrine of democracy by way of election in which candidates and aspirants are allowed unfettered freedom to seek the mandate of the delegates.
"We have also been encouraged by the position of the President and leader of the party, Alhaji Musa Yar'Adua on the contentious issues of affirmation, selection, consensus or imposition as against election.
… Party endorses Baraje as national scribe
As the convention got the coast cleared to hold today unfettered, PDP elders and its members of the Senate endorsed the candidacy of Usman Baraje as the national secretary of the party.
The elders and senators met at the presidential villa yesterday evening and ratified the endorsement, thus confirming his earlier endorsement by the North Central zone of PDP of his candidacy last week.
Our source disclosed that the governors and party elders met at the villa to endorse Baraje foreclosing the agitation of Senator Tunde Ogbeha, another candidate for a proper election.
At another meeting held at the residence of Senate President, David Mark, senators also endorsed Baraje. It was further disclosed that senators did not agree on who to pitch their tents with as the national chairman. As usual, PDP senators fixed another meeting for 9pm last night where they hoped to reappraise their position on the candidate to support.
Meanwhile, some are canvassing that a candidate other than the two prominent - Egwu and Anyim should be picked and the dark horse option favours Chief Vincent Ogbulafor.