Ondo PDP Crisis: Why Appeal Court cannot continue sitting yet – Official

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has said it will continue with its hearing of the PDP crisis once all parties have been served.

The spokesperson for the appellate court, Saadatu Musa, told PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday evening that a ruling by the Supreme Court has paved the way for the immediate continuation of the mater.

“The Supreme Court has thrown out the application preventing the continuation of the matter at the Appeal Court. That means it should continue immediately.

“However all the parties have to first of all return to the division to be served before the time of hearing will be fixed,” she said.

Based on the Supreme Court ruling nullifying an application for the suspension of Appeal Court hearing on the Ondo governorship tussle, reporters on Tuesday afternoon assembled at the appellate court, expecting a continuation of the hearing.

The matter had been suspended at the appellate court on November 18, following an application by a faction of the PDP, led by former Borno State governor, Ali Sheriff.

Mr. Poroye, a factional chairman of the PDP in Ondo, from the faction led by Mr. Sheriff, had asked the court to determine the jurisdiction of a panel set up by the Appeal Court President, Zainab Bulkachuwa.

The panel was created after a petition filed by Mr. Poroye’s counsel, Beluolisah Nwofor, accused the former panel, led by Jummai Sankey, of fraud.

Following that petition, the first panel under Ms. Sankey’s leadership withdrew their participation in the matter on November, 1.

Days later, Ms. Bulkachuwa instituted the new panel, led by Ibrahim Salauwa.

But dissatisfied with the decision of Ms. Bulkachuwa, Mr. Poroye made another request, demanding the dissolution of the new panel.

When the application was refused by the appellate court, he (Mr. Poroye) approached the Supreme Court to challenge the decision of the Appeal Court. He also prayed the highest court to compel the lower court to suspend sitting.

On Tuesday a five-member panel of justices at the Supreme Court, led by the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, dismissed the application for lacking in merit.

The court also asked Mr. Nwofor to pay over N5 million as damages for abusing the panel at the appellate court.

While the tussle for the PDP ticket continues, the faction of the party led by Ahmed Makarfi has called for the postponement of the November 26 election.

That call has been rejected by the electoral commission, INEC, which recognises Jimoh Ibrahim of the Ali Sheriff faction as the PDP candidate for the election.