The leadership crisis in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday resulted in a judicial stalemate with two courts of co-ordinate jurisdictions issuing separate and contradictory orders in support of the contending parties.

Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, in Lagos, yesterday declared as null and void the caretaker committee constituted over the weekend by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to take over the affairs of the party from its acting national chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff.

Justice Buba also directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, to enforce his order and also arrest whoever parades himself as a member of the caretaker committee of the party.

The judge held that the committee headed by a former governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, was appointed in violation of an order he made on May 12, this year.

The court had in the said order restrained the party from conducting elections into offices of the national chairman, national secretary and national auditor pending hearing and determination of the suit.

The judge had also stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring the election.

Justice Buba stated he would not allow his order to be violated without consequence, adding that he had an obligation to ensure his directives were obeyed.

“No court can make an order in vain,” he held.

Meanwhile, a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has restrained embattled Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Secretary, Professor Rufai Oladipo from parading themselves as officers of the party.

The court, which was presided over by Justice Mohammed Liman, also restrained other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP from parading themselves as officers of the party.


http://leadership.ng/news/530169/pdp-crisis-runs-judicial-mess