….as Bode George, PDP kick
…Former Governors Wike, Ikpeazu, Ortom, others back court verdict
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened following a ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which restrained the party from proceeding with its planned National Convention.
The court’s decision, which cited alleged breaches of the party’s constitution and internal guidelines, has been met with sharply divided reactions from PDP stakeholders, underscoring the deep divisions within the main opposition party.
The PDP leadership, through its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, swiftly reacted, describing the court’s judgment as an assault on Nigeria’s democratic process and a violation of the party’s right to manage its internal affairs.
The party maintained that the ruling would not halt its processes toward electing new national officers, urging members to remain focused on the scheduled convention.
Reacting also, a founding member and prominent elder statesman of the PDP, Chief Bode George, faulted the court’s decision.
He expressed disappointment with the injunction, arguing that the judiciary should not unduly interfere with the internal operations of a political party.
In stark contrast, a group of concerned PDP stakeholders, including former Governors Nyesom Wike (now FCT Minister), Okezie Ikpeazu, and Samuel Ortom, threw their weight behind the court verdict.
In a communique issued after a meeting in Abuja, the stakeholders hailed the Federal High Court for “upholding truth over impunity” and restoring discipline and internal democracy within the party.
Reading the communique, former Abia State Governor Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu stated that the ruling affirmed the supremacy of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, INEC guidelines, and the PDP constitution.
The group further noted that the judgment upheld the status of Chief Dan Orbih as the authentic National Vice Chairman (South-South) and emphasized that no national convention of the PDP can hold until all due processes stipulated by law, including the party’s constitution and INEC guidelines, are fully complied with.
The ruling and the ensuing divided reaction highlight the persistent internal crisis plaguing the PDP. While the current leadership insists on proceeding with the convention, the former governors’ camp, perceived to be seeking a return to due process and constitutionalism within the party, has found judicial backing.
The development sets the stage for a critical legal and political battle that will likely determine the party’s leadership structure and its future as the major opposition force in Nigeria.
