The Turaki-led National Working Committee made this known in a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong
The Peoples Democratic Party faction led by Taminu Turaki has said it will approach the Supreme Court of Nigeria to challenge the judgment of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria on the party’s leadership crisis.
The Turaki-led National Working Committee made this known in a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong.
Ememobong said the faction remained determined to continue the legal battle, insisting that the struggle to rescue the party from what he described as government agents posing as opposition leaders must be fought.
Earlier, a panel of the Appeal Court led by Mohammed Ambi-Usi Danjuma delivered judgments in the consolidated cases relating to the crisis within the PDP.
Among its rulings, the court upheld the decision of the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Abuja which held that the processes leading to the PDP National Convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16 violated the Electoral Act, the Nigerian Constitution and the party’s constitution.
The appellate court consequently declared that the convention which produced Turaki (SAN) and other members of the National Working Committee was not conducted in accordance with the law, rendering the outcome invalid.
Reacting to the ruling, Ememobong said the faction had instructed its lawyers to immediately file an appeal at the Supreme Court, expressing confidence that the apex court would expeditiously resolve the matter in the interest of democracy.
The statement read in part, “Earlier today, the Court of Appeal delivered a judgment on appeals arising from the judgments delivered by Justice Omotosho and Justice Lifu, and a ruling by Justice Abdulmalik.
“The panel of the Court, presided over by Hon. Justice Mohammed Ambi-Usi Danjuma, upheld the suspension of the National Legal Adviser and, by extension, other officers like the National Secretary and National Organising Secretary.
“The Court also upheld the judgments of Justices Omotosho and Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, while the appeal against the interlocutory orders of Justice Abdulmalik was dismissed.
“The operationalisation of this judgment will, without fail, work untold hardship on our members. To avert this, while we are consulting with critical organs of our party on the way forward, we have also instructed our lawyers to immediately take legal steps to appeal the same to the Supreme Court.
“We are hopeful that the apex court will expeditiously settle this matter in the interest of democracy.
“We urge our members to stand firm, trusting that soon this battle will be over. The battle to rescue our party from the hands of government agents masquerading as opposition leaders must be fought, and we are determined to do so and win.”
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