A melodrama occurred at a Federal High Court in Lagos State, on Tuesday, when two lawyers appeared before Justice Ibrahim Buba, claiming to be counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The lawyers, Ahmed Raji SAN and Godswill Morakpor engaged in a heated debate before the judge over who should conduct Tuesday’s proceedings.
After extensive argument, Justice Buba resolved that Morakpor should represent the PDP, haven notified Raji of change of counsel, through a letter from the PDP, duly served by the court’s ballif.
Africa Update gathered that when the issue regarding who should be counsel to the PDP was resolved, Justice Buba nullified the national caretaker committee constituted by the PDP during last Saturday’s convention.
In his ruling, Justice said the committee led by the former Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi,with Senator Ben Obi, as acting national secretary, was constituted in violation of an order he had made on May 12, when he barred the PDP from holding elections into offices of the national chairman, national secretary, and national auditor and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was also restrained from monitoring any election conducted by the party, pending the determination of a suit before him.“No court can make an order in vain, the decisions of the Federal High Court, a High Court and of all other courts established by this Constitution shall be enforced in any part of the federation by all authorities and persons, and by other courts of law with subordinate jurisdiction to that of the Federal High Court, a High Court and those other courts, respectively.
“Therefore, the Inspector-General of Police is directed to enforce the orders of this court until the order is set aside or all the applications before the court are disposed of.
“Because of the nature of this matter being political, time is hereby abridged for the hearing of all applications.”
The judge ruled that Ali Modu Sheriff, Should continue acting as chairman of the party, and warned the Makarfi-led committee to desist from parading themselves as caretaker committee or face the wrath of the law.
