The office of the national caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has dismissed reports in the media that Justice I. N. Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos dissolved the party’s Caretaker Committee under the leadership of Senator Armed Markarfi.
A statement by the National Caretaker Committee signed by Senator Markafi, the chairman of the committee stated that the story is not true, but reckless misrepresentation of facts, and distortion of information by certain aggrieved members of the Party to mislead the members of the public.
The Caretaker Committee explained that: ” Justice Buba did not make an order dissolving the Caretaker Committee, as an order of Court could only be made if the court is presented with either a Motion Ex-Parte or Motion on Notice which the Court hears and makes appropriate order(s) as deemed necessary. No court makes an order not sought.”
That the Plaintiffs in SUIT NO. FHC/L/CS/613/2016 had on Monday May 23, 2016 filed a Motion on Notice for the purpose of setting aside the National Convention of the Party held on Saturday May 21, 2016.
The Motion on Notice is yet to be served on the Defendant (the PDP being the 2nd Defendant in the suit) as at today Wednesday 25 May, 2016.
That the suit comes up Friday May 27, 2016 for the hearing of all pending applications, including Motions for Stay of Proceeding/Execution of the Order of May 12, 2016 pending the Appeal already filed against the suit; Motion to Set-Aside and/or Vacate the order of May 12, 2016; Motion for joinder of certain persons; Motion on Notice by way of Notice of Preliminary Objection on ground of jurisdiction, among others.
That at the proceedings of Tuesday May 24, 2016 Counsel to the Plaintiff, R. A. Oluyede drew the attention of the court to the fact that the order of Court dated May 12, 2016 had not been complained with. And that the 2nd Defendant has gone ahead to conduct election into the offices of: National Chairman, National Secretary and National Auditor.
The committee explained further that, the PDP is aware of the Order of Hon. Justice Buba of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos dated 12th May, 2016 given in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/613/2016, to the effect that the PDP should not conduct election in the offices of National Chairman, National Secretary and National Auditor.
The caretaker committee maintained that, “in strict compliance and obedience to the above order, the National Convention of the PDP did not conduct election into the above offices or any offices at all, that the National Convention of the PDP, in the exercise of its powers under section 12.88 of the PDP Constitution, dissolved the National Working Committee and appointed some of its members as Caretakers Committee for the next ninety (90) days, to enable it pursue true reconciliation of its disputant members towards peaceful, amicable and political settlement of the disputes leading to the cases in court.
“The party observed that no member of the PDP is bigger than the Party, adding that no office, person, organ, or institution within the PDP is bigger than the National Convention, which is the Supreme organ of the Party with powers, to even dissolve the Party itself. Party politics thrives on party discipline.
It is for this reason that we most passionately appeal to all aggrieved members and leaders of the Party to consider the ultimate interest of the Party. They should know and realise that whatever aspiration they have will only materialise with a united, stronger, just and well-positioned PDP. Nothing should be done by any members, no matter his or her status in the society, to undermine the integrity of the process and the Party. PDP is well a well structured, all-inclusive, bottom-up political party”, the caretaker committee said.
The committee concluded in the statement that, ” it has inherent powers to sanction erring party members in accordance with its constitution. It is in view of the foregoing that we appeal to all to remain law abiding. Steps are already being taking reconcile every aggrieved members, and to resolve all grievances with the ninety (90) days duration of the Caretaker Committee for the purpose of putting an end to needless litigation over issues that are purely internal affairs of our party. We should save the Nigerian Judiciary the unnecessary burdens of politically- motivated, ridiculously conflicting decisions and rulings. Unless the trends are curtailed, contradictory rulings are capable of throwing our judiciary “off-balance”. This might also impact negatively on the entire country, including both the ruling party and PDP as opposition Party”.