PDP Crisis: Turaki-led faction heads to the Supreme Court

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by Tanimu Turaki has decided to appeal the recent Court of Appeal decision regarding the party’s leadership crisis at the Supreme Court.

The Court of Appeal, Abuja, earlier this month annulled the party’s national convention held in November last year in Ibadan, Oyo State, and appointed Turaki as the party’s national chairman.

The faction’s National Working Committee (NWC) had earlier announced its intention to challenge the decision in the highest court.

In a chat with journalists at the end of the 103rd NEC meeting in Abuja on Friday, the National Publicity Secretary of the faction, Ini Ememobong, said the party had lodged an appeal and applied for an expedited hearing to protect the legal standing of the party.

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Ememobong explained that the NEC meeting was held to discuss and ratify various decisions taken by the NWC and the Board of Trustees (BoT), which acts on behalf of the highest decision-making organ of the party.

“The NEC reached an agreement that the decision was taken in good faith and therefore, without any dispute, unanimously ratified the decision.

“This is to tell our supporters that the process of saving our party is already underway; all hope is not lost,” he said.

Ememobong clarified that although the legal battle is still ongoing in the Supreme Court, the move does not hamper the ongoing internal reconciliation efforts.

According to him, his party remains open to “discontinuing or withdrawing” the lawsuit if the agreed conditions are met between the warring factions.

Ememobong described reconciliation as “a journey towards a goal,” and noted a decrease in hurtful rhetoric and hostility between the two groups.

“The bus has left the station; the train has left the station. Although we have not yet reached the final goal of total reconciliation, achievements have been made.

“We avoid mutual destruction so that our candidates have a strong foundation from which to run,” he said.