…fines Turaki-led faction
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the November 14 judgment of Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, which barred the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding its November 15–16 national convention in Ibadan without allowing former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, to contest for a chairmanship position.
A three-member panel of the appellate court delivered a unanimous judgment on Monday, declaring that the PDP’s decision to hold the convention in defiance of the valid and subsisting Federal High Court order was contemptuous and showed disrespect to the court.
The court observed that it was undisputed that the PDP proceeded with the convention despite being under a clear directive to afford Lamido the opportunity to participate.
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The court faulted the argument by the PDP that it went ahead with the convention in obedience of a judgment of another court of coordinate jurisdiction.
It held that it is not for any party in a case to decide on which order to obey or ignore.
The court further held that what the PDP ought to have done was to have applied for a stay of execution of the judgment or order or better still, lodge an appeal against the judgement.
The court condemned the appellant’s contemptuous conduct and held that the trial court was right to have assumed jurisdiction over Lamido’s case and granted the reliefs he sought.
It proceeded to dismiss the appeal, marked: CA/ABJ/1695/2025 filed by the PDP for lacking in merit.
The court also awarded a cost of N2million against the PDP.
