Nelson Utip
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Akwa Ibom State Chapter has washed it’s hands off the just-concluded National Convention of the party in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Elder Aniekan Bassey, The State PDP Chairman stated this in an interaction with Newsmen in Uyo. He stated that the reason for distancing the chapter from the convention was that there was a court case baring it.
It’s on record that Rivers and Kebbi State Chapters had also disassociated themselves from The Ibadan Convention.
“The PDP Akwa Ibom State chapter unequivocally dissociates itself from the ill-fated and unlawful Ibadan Convention, hailing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its astute decision to boycott the invalid gathering.
“This commendable stance vindicates our commitment to upholding the rule of law and democratic principles.
“As a party that espouses democratic values, it is imperative that every member of sound judgement renounce the charade perpetrated in Ibadan, where two subsisting court judgements were brazenly disregarded.
“Notably, the Federal High Court, Justice Omotosho, had explicitly halted the convention due to the party’s leadership failure to adhere to its own rules, specifically the non-compliance with the requirement for designated officials to sign the notice of convention before submission to INEC.
“We commend INEC for acknowledging the judgement of Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court 9, Abuja, instituted by H.E. Sule Lamido, which barred the convention from holding on the 15th and 16th. This ruling underscores the importance of respecting the constitution and electoral laws, thereby exposing the Ibadan gathering as a mere social event devoid of legal validity.
“It is perturbing that some individuals within our party, erstwhile champions of democracy, have chosen to flout the very principles we have long espoused. Nevertheless, we remain resolute in our determination to join forces with true democrats to reclaim our party from those seeking to destroy it for personal gain.” Akpan said.
He further emphasized that convening a convention in open defiance of a valid court order, despite caution from respected party stakeholders, was a direct invitation to chaos and internal collapse. Accordingly, he declared that any resolutions or actions emerging from the so-called convention were invalid and would be treated as such.
He called on party members to remain calm and steadfast while noting that the controversial convention was already under judicial scrutiny at the Court of Appeal. Reaffirming the party’s confidence in the judicial process, the chapter encouraged faithful members to await the court’s verdict before drawing conclusions.
