The Supreme Court of Nigeria has scheduled April 22 for the hearing of appeals connected to the ongoing leadership tussle within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a move that signals fast-tracked consideration of the internal crisis.
The appeals were lodged by a faction of the party led by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, who is challenging the rulings of the Court of Appeal delivered on March 9, which stemmed from earlier Federal High Court decisions restricting the party from proceeding with its planned national convention.
A five-member panel of the apex court, presided over by Justice Mohammed Garba, fixed the hearing date on Tuesday after granting an application for accelerated hearing of the matter.
The court further abridged timelines for the filing of processes, directing respondents to submit their responses within five days, while the appellants were given two days to file their replies.
The dispute traces back to judgments delivered by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, following suits instituted by aggrieved PDP members, including former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, which halted the party’s proposed national convention over alleged non-compliance with statutory requirements, including provisions of the Electoral Act and internal party rules.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, prominent political figures were present in court, including Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, alongside Turaki and other key stakeholders in the party dispute.