Leadership tussle: Turaki faction heads to appeal after suit dismissal

The Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has said it will appeal the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja that struck out its suit seeking recognition of its leadership.

The faction stated that the legal battle over the party’s leadership was far from over.

Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court on Friday upheld the preliminary objection raised by the defendants and struck out the suit filed by the Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees of the PDP and some founding members seeking, among other reliefs, recognition of the Turaki-led Interim NWC.

The court ruled that the case concerned the leadership of the PDP, describing it as an internal party matter outside its jurisdiction.

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Reacting to the ruling, the Turaki-led faction, through its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said it disagreed with the judgment, maintaining that it was inconsistent with existing decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

Ememobong, in a statement issued after the ruling, faulted the court’s stance that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

“While we respect the judgment of the trial court, we respectfully consider that it is against the extant judgments of the appeal and apex courts, leaving the plaintiffs with no option but to appeal the judgment and the rulings therein. The plaintiffs have accordingly briefed their lawyers to take immediate steps to appeal the rulings and judgment.

“We are hopeful that as we climb the ladder of the law upwards, the victory of truth over lies, principles over compromise and the survival of true opposition and multi-party democracy will be assured. The politics of power, money and greed may last for a while, but we are certain that though our victory may be postponed, as the struggle continues, we will eventually attain it,” he said.

Abdulrahman Zakariyau

Abdulrahman is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with nearly a decade of professional experience covering political parties, elections, religion, civil society organizations, and the Nigeria Governors Forum. He is also a development and strategic communication expert, skilled at analyzing complex issues and delivering impactful narratives. Abdulrahman’s reporting reflects extensive newsroom experience, editorial judgment, and a strong commitment to informative and insightful journalism.

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