PDP leadership suits: Appeal Court dismisses leftover appeals

A three-man special panel of justices of the Court of Appeal, on Thursday in Abuja dismissed all four leftover appeals that emanated from PDP national leadership tussle.
Ruling in the applications for the withdrawal of the appeals, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Ibraheem Saulawa, held that the appeals had indeed become academic.
Saulawa said the July 12 decision of the Supreme Court in the PDP legal crises had obliterated further legal actions on the matter.
“The withdrawal of the four appeals by parties stems from the July 12 judgment of the apex court as no other court in the country can entertain these same matters again.
“Having been withdrawn, it would be a taboo to entertain these extant appeals as they have become academic.
“It is also imperative to state that these withdrawals were acts of mutuality from parties and according to our extant laws,’’ the justice said.
President of the Court of Appeal had set up the special panel to dispose lawsuit that arose from the PDP’s leadership crises with acceleration.
The panel adjourned indefinitely hearing on the four appeals marked CA/A/402/2016, CA/A/402A/2016 CA/A/402B/M/2016 and CA/A/551/M/2016, to await the outcome of a related appeal in Port Harcourt division of the court.
The decision followed a motion filed by the Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party.
The group had through their counsel, Chief Akin Olujinmi, SAN, urged the appellate court panel to temporarily hands-off the suit filed by the Sen. Ahmed Markafi-led faction of the party.
They based their request on the fact that the court in Port Harcourt had already heard the matter before it and reserved its judgment.
Makarfi’s faction had approached the court to challenge judgment by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered on June 30, which recognised Sheriff as National Chairman of the party.
Earlier in the session, Mr Yinus-Ustas Usman, counsel to Makarfi and Chief Ben Obi applied to withdraw the appeal, as according to him, the actions had become academic.
Also, Chief Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), counsel to the PDP filed an oral application for similar withdrawal of his client’s appeal.
Mr Olumide Olujimi, counsel to Sheriff, raised no objection to the applications, according to him, the process was apt as the extant appeals no longer have utilitarian benefits.
Chief Benson Akingboye, Chairman of the Ondo State PDP Executive, Chief Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma and INEC were among the respondents in the appeals.
The PDP national leadership crisis was laid to rest on July 12, when the Supreme Court affirmed Makarfi’s- led caretaker committee as the authentic national leadership of the party.