A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday threw out a fresh application by the Bamanga Tukur-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop the Abubakar Baraje-led group from parading themselves as the national executives of the party.
Presiding judge, Justice Elvis Chukwu, refused to grant the application when the application was moved as he ordered that the respondents be put on notice and that the notice should be served through substituted means.
An ex-parte motion filed on behalf of the Tukur-led faction by Chief Tochukwu Onwubufor, SAN, had asked the court to restrain Baraje and other executive members of the new PDP from parading themselves as the national executives of the party.
Joined as respondents alongside Baraje are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Sam Jaja, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Atiku Abubakar.
But when the application was moved, Justice Chukwu said: “Although I am not afraid of granting an ex parte application especially when it is obvious of causing anarchy, however, I owe a duty to maintain a balance. What I want to do is order that the respondents are put on notice…”
Justice Chukwu, who therefore fixed September 12 for the hearing of the motion on notice, also ordered that parties should maintain status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the suit.
Meanwhile, Bamanga Tukur in a statement has described the ruling of Justice Chukwu, which ordered both factions to maintain the status quo as an endorsement of his chairmanship of the party and thanked party members for their loyalty to his leadership.
The full text of his statement read, “Following the injunction granted by Justice E. S Chukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, upholding the leadership of our great party under my Chairmanship, I wish to use this medium to congratulate and appreciate my fellow leaders and all members of our great party for your steadfastness and commitment to the ideals of the founding fathers of the PDP underscored by your unflinching loyalty to the constitution of the party.
I am very pleased that you remained loyal in spite of the recent developments that have confronted our collective resolve to provide purposeful leadership for our party and dear country. I wish to reassure you that these developments will in no way distract or affect our undiluted readiness and focus on delivering on all promises incumbent on the mandate vested willingly by you on us.
As the National Chairman of your party, I shall remain unflinchingly resolute on good leadership. My stand on good governance at all levels from those elected on the platform of the PDP is irrevocable. It is certain that our leverage on the faithful implementation of the manifesto of the PDP will once more ensure victory for our party in the 2015 general elections.
Accordingly, I charge all members of the PDP to close ranks and continue to remain loyal and committed to the ideals of a united, formidable and democratic national political party, where power belongs to all Nigerians irrespective of tribe, religion or any other divide.
As it has been from the beginning, the PDP under my chairmanship shall continue to ensure that power resides fully with the people.
Let me re-state my unwavering stand on internal democracy, openness and robust ventilation of all party issues. This has been our strength, an impregnable forte of our great party PDP for over a decade. We shall not relent on this. Thank you and may God bless us all.”
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