A Lagos Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Muhammed Idris, today, ordered members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to take any action that will void court’s proceedings on the issue of their party convention.

Justice Idris gave the order in two separate suit filed by the national Auditor of the party, Alhaji Fatai Adeyanju against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and his party.

While, the second suit was filed by the dou of Kamal Olorunoje and Jide Ladeinde for themselves and on behalf of the Lagos State Executive Committee of PDP, against INEC, PDP, the party’s National chairman and secretary, Ali Modu Sheriff and Wale Oladipo respectively.

The court’s order was sequel to logger head of two counsels over who to represent the party in the suit.

At the today’s proceedings, Dr. Yemi Oke announced appearance for PDP while at thesame time, Mr Godswill Marappor equally announced appearance for the party.

Marappor informed the court that he had been ordered to take over from Oke. But Oke in response, said that he had not been de-briefed by anyone, adding that only the legal adviser of the party had the right to appoint or determine the counsel of the party.

Oke argued that the purported letter of the alleged new counsel was not from the party’s legal adviser.

One of the plaintiff, (Fatai), then urged the court to make a preserving order to preserve the Res until the next date when the issue of representation would have been sorted out.

In his observation, Justice Idris noted that there are two issues on ground, first, whether the court has jurisdiction on the suit, and the issue of appearance.

He noted that the issue of appearance superseded jurisdiction based on precedence, adding that it must be sorted out first.

Consequently, Idiris held that parties must not do anything or take any step or action capable of voiding the proceedings of the court, pending when the issue of appearance is resolved.

He adjourned the case to June 3 to deal on the issue of representation.

The plaintiffs are seeking an order of interlocutory injunction, restraining the defendants from dealing with or according recognition to any person as the officers of the Lagos Executive Committee of the party, except the plaintiff.

They are also seeking an order directing the PDP by its organs, officers and agents, to accept for the purpose of convening the the Southwest zonal congress and the National Convention of the PDP, only delegates elected at the congress of the PDP in Lagos which was conducted by Senator Joel Ikenya, pending the determination of the suit.

They further want an order of interlocutory injunction, restraining the defendant from recognising or validating any other election conducted to fill the available national office of the PDP or parallel National Convention, other than the election conducted at the national convention of PDP, pending the hearing of the suit.

Furthermore, they seek an order, restraining all members of PDP from disrupting the conduct of election into the available national office of the PDP to be carried out at the national convention, and presided by the national chairman of the PDP, and also restraining them from conducting parallel convention pending the determination of the suit. http://thestreetreporters.com/?p=5693

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