The Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) left the Court of Appeal in visible frustration after their appeal was dismissed, upholding the Federal High Court’s earlier nullification of the controversial Ibadan convention.
The three-member panel, chaired by Justice Mohammed Ambi-Usi Danjuma, with Justices Okechukwu Onyemenam and Muhammed Mustapha, delivered a unanimous ruling and imposed a fine of N2 million on the appellants.
The appellate court emphasized that when a political party fails or refuses to conduct its congresses or conventions in line with its constitution and the Electoral Act, such issues are no longer purely internal but fall under judicial scrutiny.
Any congress or convention conducted in violation of the party’s constitution and relevant electoral laws is legally invalid, the court ruled, highlighting the importance of internal party democracy and compliance with statutory provisions.
The dismissal marks a significant setback for Turaki’s faction, which has been contesting the legitimacy of the Ibadan convention.
It was also gathered that Turaki and his group in annoyance deliberately ignored members of the press who were waiting to interview them following the court’s judgment, leaving journalists without any comment on the outcome of the appeal.
