The Katsina State High Court’s Justice Abbas Bawale dismissed a lawsuit brought by a PDP section that contested the way the party’s ward congresses were run.
Citing insufficient jurisdiction to consider the matter, the court rendered its decision Wednesday.
According to the judge, the complaint should have been settled within the PDP since it concerns internal matters.
He stressed that his choice is in line with earlier Supreme Court decisions that have repeatedly maintained that courts have no right to meddle in political parties’ internal affairs.
Justice Bawale stated that,“This court is bound by the decisions of the Supreme Court. The matter revolves around the affairs of the defendant and this court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain it.”
Barrister Mustapha Shitu, the complainants’ attorney, voiced his displeasure with the decision and revealed his intention to file an appeal.
“The areas where the court disagreed with us are uncomfortable for us.
We will appeal the ruling because numerous state congresses were cancelled for denying members the opportunity to participate or compete, even if the court agreed with us on some of the concerns made,” Mahuta stated.
The decision is anticipated to lead to additional court cases when the complainants go to the appeal court for remedy.
The case highlights persistent internal party process conflicts inside the PDP, with factional disagreements threatening the party’s unity in the run-up to elections.