Why Court Of Appeal Kept PDP Waiting On Convention

By Akinwale Kasali

For the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its suspended National Chairman, Uche Secondus, the waiting game continues.

The Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, which had stated Thursday, October 28, to rule on whether the Party’s National Convention could go on as scheduled or not, has again deferred its ruling to Friday, October 29.

The Convention is scheduled to begin on Saturday, October 30, and end on Sunday, October 31, with the election of new Executive Council to run the affairs of the Party.

But on Thursday, it deferred its ruling, thus leaving both sides filled with anxiety.

This magazine gathered that  the ruling was adjourned till Friday because the PDP filed its response late.

Secondus’ had filed a suit seeking the stoppage of the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP slated for Saturday October 30,2021.

The Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt had on Tuesday reserved the ruling on the suspension of the PDP Convention  filed by Secondus, saying that it would give its verdict whether the Convention will hold or not.

This is despite the repeated declaration by the national leadership of the party that it has resolved not to be distracted by legal issues.

The appellate court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers had adjourned the matter on Tuesday following an application for joinder by interested parties.

The current imbroglio began with the suspension of Secondus as National Chairman by a High Court in a suit filed by some party leaders in his ward in Rivers State who accused him of anti-party activities.

Secondus’ travails and plot of his removal triggered a chain of events leading to preparations for the national convention.

On several occasions, former Senate Presidents, David Mark and Bukola Abubakar Saraki had tried to persuade Secondus and his nemesis Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to make peace but failed,  leading to the crisis the Party is facing.