By Ayomide Otitoju
The Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has described the Court of Appeal judgment on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention in Ibadan as a “wake-up call” and an opportunity for party members to introspect and resolve internal conflicts.
Speaking at his residence in Abuja on Monday after visiting the Kwali Area Council as part of his thank-you tour, Wike urged party members not to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court, warning that doing so would only prolong the crisis.
“We have fought; let us now drop personal interest,” he said. “If you are a lover of the party, you will not go to the Supreme Court. But if that is what they want, we are always ready.”
On the PDP convention, Wike confirmed that the dates announced by the caretaker committee, March 29 and 30, remain unchanged, with preparations already underway. He also disclosed that the National Sports Commission has approved the Velodrome of the National Stadium in Abuja as the venue for the convention.
“We have gotten the approval of the National Sports Commission to conduct the convention at the Velodrome. We have started preparing for it, and it will hold by the grace of God,” Wike added.
The remarks come after the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed an appeal by the PDP against the October 31 ruling of Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which had restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the party’s planned national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16.
In a unanimous judgment, a three-member panel of the appellate court resolved all four issues against the PDP, ruling that the appeal lacked merit and affirming that the trial court acted correctly in granting all reliefs sought by the plaintiffs.
The Court of Appeal also rejected the PDP’s claim that the trial court lacked jurisdiction, upheld the plaintiffs’ locus standi to protect their democratic rights, and ruled that the party was not denied fair hearing.
Additionally, the court awarded N2 million in costs against the PDP faction led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki for filing what it described as a frivolous appeal.
