Ezekiel Awojide, Abuja
The crisis of confidence rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new dimension at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, where the National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagu, and the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, disagreed in open court.
At the hearing of a suit seeking to stop the planned National Convention of the party instituted by three aggrieved members, Damagum and Ajibade battled for several minutes over who has the power to appoint a lawyer to represent the party.
While Damagum, who was physically present in court in a letter he personally signed, mandated Chris Uche, SAN to represent PDP in the legal action, Ajibade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), insisted that he was the only authority that could appoint legal representation for PDP.
When the matter was called before Justice James Omotosho, Joseph Daudu, SAN, announced appearance for the three plaintiffs, namely, Hon Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Hon Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South).
Trouble, however, started when Chief Chris Uche, SAN, with more than five other SANs announced their appearance for PDP, the move that was immediately countered by Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, the PDP National Legal Adviser, who also announced his appearance for the same party.
In the drama that ensued, Chris Uche, SAN informed Justice Omotosho that he had a letter from PDP National Chairman appointing him to represent the party in the suit while, at the same time, Ajibade replied that he is the sole authority vested with power by the PDP Constitution to appoint legal representation for the party and cited some judgements to that effect.
Apparently taken aback by the development, Justice Omotosho stood down the hearing of the matter for ten minutes for the National Chairman and the National Legal Adviser to go out of the court to put their house in order.
At the end of the ten minutes, the two parties reported that they were unable to reconcile on legal representation, prompting Chris Uche, SAN to seek a short adjournment to enable the National Chairman and the National Legal Adviser to see how to reconcile their differences.
At this point, Daudu, who stood for the plaintiffs, pleaded with the Judge to go ahead with the hearing of his client’s matter if, on the adjourned date, the two parties are unable to resolve their differences.
Justice Omotosho subsequently fixed Thursday, October 16 for the hearing of the matter.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, Justice Omotosho joined Umar Iliya Damagum, Ali Odef, and Chief Emmanuel Ogidi as the 7th, 8th, and 9th defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025.
They were joined in two separate applications argued by their respective lawyers, Paul Erokoro and Audu Anuga, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria.
Erokoro, while arguing for Damagum’s joining, informed the court that he is a necessary party on account of his being the National Chairman of PDP, Chairman of the National Working Committee (NWC), Chairman of the National Executive Committee, as well as the Chairman of the Convention committee.
Audu Anuga, SAN, in his submission on joinder for Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi, informed the court that the two are officers of the PDP, who would be affected one way or the other by the outcome of the case.
The joinder request was vehemently opposed by the counsel to the three plaintiffs, Joseph Daudu who urged the court to discountenance the request.
Daudu argued that the three plaintiffs did not seek any relief against those seeking to be joined, adding that, their request for joinder, and if joined, would serve no purpose.
In his brief ruling, Justice Omotosho said he had considered the status of Umar Illiya Damagum, Ali Odef, and Emmanuel Ogidi and found them to be necessary parties that would be affected one way or the other by the outcome of the case.
The judge then granted their request and ordered the three plaintiffs to make them the 7th, 8th, and 9th defendants.
The judge also ordered the plaintiffs to effect consequential amendments for the names of the three people to reflect in the processes that would be filed in respect of the matter.
The first six defendants are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, Samuel Anyanwu, National Secretary of the party, Umar Baturrle, National Organizing Secretary of the party, NW, C, and NEC of the party.
The three plaintiffs had instituted the suit seeking to stop the planned November 15 and 16, 202,5 National Convention of PDP scheduled for Ibadan in OyoStatete where new National Officers are expected to be elected.
