By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the November 14 judgment by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, restraining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from proceeding with its November 15–16 national convention in Ibadan without giving former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, the opportunity to participate as a chairmanship candidate.
In a unanimous judgment, a three-member panel held that the PDP’s convention, held in defiance of a valid subsisting Federal High Court order, was contemptuous and showed disrespect to the court.
The court noted that it was undisputed that the PDP conducted the convention despite an existing order directing it to allow Lamido’s participation.
It rejected the party’s argument that it acted in compliance with a judgment from another court of coordinate jurisdiction, emphasizing that “it is not for any party in a case to decide which order to obey or ignore.”
The court stated that the PDP should have either applied for a stay of execution of the judgment or filed an appeal against it before proceeding.
Condemning the party’s contemptuous conduct, the appellate court held that the trial court acted correctly in assuming jurisdiction over Lamido’s case and granting the reliefs he sought.
The court dismissed the PDP’s appeal for lacking merit and awarded N2 million in costs against the party.