Just when Nigerians were thinking that the two conflicting orders stopping the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) billed for Ibadan, Oyo State, between November 15 and 16, were an aberration, another Federal High Court in Abuja last Tuesday gave another order restraining the party from proceeding with the exercise.
Like the two previous orders, the current one by Justice Peter Lifu also barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from supervising, monitoring or recognising the outcome of the convention if held.
The presiding judge, Justice Lifu, issued the order while delivering a ruling in an application filed by a former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido.
Lamido had sued the party for allegedly denying him the opportunity to buy the chairmanship nomination form to enable him to participate in the convention.
On October 31, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja stopped the PDP from going ahead with the convention. He said evidence before the court showed that the party failed to hold valid state congresses contrary to the 1999 Constitution, INEC guidelines, as well as PDP’s constitution.
But in a dramatic twist, on November 4, an Oyo State High Court presided over by Justice A.L. Akintola, ordered the PDP and the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, to proceed with the convention. He issued the order following an ex parte application filed by Folahan Malomo Adelabi.
By Friday, two other court orders were made again.
This is judicial rascality at its height. It not only amounts to forum shopping but a mockery of the country’s democracy.
The courts that were supposed to deduce that it is an ego fight for the soul of PDP, have allowed itself to be rubbished by the gladiators.
Many Nigerians are wondering where are the Supreme Court’s decisions warning lower courts to stay away from the internal affairs of political parties in all of these orders?
It is imperative for the National Judicial Council (NJC) to take drastic and urgent action to put a stop to this anomaly once and for all. The council must sanction these erring judges who are ridiculing the judiciary otherwise with the 2027 elections fast approaching, the issue of conflicting orders and judgments would rear its ugly head and make a mess of Nigeria’s democracy.
These sanctions must be stringent to serve as a deterrent to other judges who may wish to embark on this journey of judicial rascality. Many believe that because previous sanctions were like a slap on the wrist, they did not send the right messages to the judges.
