Photo file: PDP-flag

The infighting in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has resulted in the collapse of trust, a founding father of the main opposition party, Alhaji Sule Lamido, declared yesterday.

He spoke after the Federal High Court in Abuja granted his request for an order stopping Saturday’s convention of the party.

“In this case, if my party loses, I also lose. Taking this path, I feel like crying. When we fight as brothers, the trust is lost; the bond of brotherhood is also lost,” he said.

The order has thrown the party into chaos over the convention.

It was the second by the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja.

Today, an Ibadan High Court will hear another suit seeking to allow the convention to go ahead as planned.

Justice Peter Lifu granted Lamido’s request following the reliefs sought by the former Jigawa State governor.

Lamido had approached the court for allegedly being excluded from the national chairmanship contest at the convention.

Justice Lifu also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring, supervising or recognising the outcome of the convention, pending the hearing and determination of the suit before him.

The judge said the orders shall subsist, pending the hearing and determination of Lamido’s substantive suit.

Justice Lifu said he was aware of a judgment delivered on October 31 by Justice James Omotosho (also of the Federal High Court, Abuja), stopping PDP from holding the convention.

Justice Omotosho’s order was sequel to the suit by the Wike/Anyanwu faction, which complained that the processes leading to the convention violated the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.

But an Ibadan High Court presided over by Justice Ladiran Akintola on November 5, granted an ex-parte order in the case filed by a party chieftain, Folahan Malomo Adelabi, restraining the  National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagun, from suspending the convention.

Acting National Chairman, Umar Iliya Damagum, the Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (for himself and members of the National Convention Organising Committee), and INEC or their agents from truncating or frustrating the conduct of the national convention.

The Ibadan court directed the PDP leadership to adhere strictly to the guidelines, timetable, and schedule of activities earlier released for the convention.

Justice Akintola also ordered the INEC to monitor the convention in line with its guidelines.

When the parties came before him on Monday, Justice Akintola declined to lift the ex-parte order.

He told the parties to exchange their processes and return to court for a hearing today.

In Abuja yesterday, Justice Lifu, after considering Lamido’s application, said it was in the interest of justice to grant his request.

He added that if the party is allowed to proceed with the convention, the former governor would suffer more.

The judge held that evidence produced by the plaintiff revealed that the PDP’s timetable for the convention was not published for the attention of its members as required by law.

He noted that Lamido had undertaken to pay damages to the PDP should the suit be found to be frivolous.

Justice Lifu noted that in a constitutional democracy, due process of law must be strictly adhered to by those in charge, adding that to do otherwise would endanger democracy itself.

He said in line with Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution, the court of law must not abdicate its responsibility of dispensing justice without fear or favour.

Lamido had, in his motion, argued among others, that if the PDP was not restrained, the party would be violating its constitution, and by implication, denying him the opportunity to contest for the position of the national chairman.

The former governor said he is eminently qualified to contest for the position.

After the ruling, the judge suspended proceedings briefly and later took arguments from lawyers on the substantive suit.

Justice Lifu adjourned till tomorrow for judgment after the lawyers, including Jeph Njikonye (for Lamido), Omokayode Dada (for the PDP) and Joseph Daudu (for parties joined), all Senior Advocates of Nigeria, made their final submissions.

Speaking further on the issue, Lamido added that he felt sad dragging PDP to court over his exclusion from purchasing the chairmanship nomination form.

The former Minister of Foreign Affairs said that although the interim restraining order had been issued against PDP not to go ahead with the convention, he nonetheless felt bad that he was forced to opt for the court action.

He recalled his long association with the party, during which he was elected as governor of Jigawa and appointed as the Foreign Affairs minister.

Lamido, however, said he opted for court action against the PDP to get justice.

He said as a bona fide member of the PDP, he had approached the party leadership to purchase the nomination form but was denied.