A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Umar Sani has explained why former Bauchi State governor Sule Lamido did not take part in the party’s national convention held in Ibadan.
The convention produced a National Working Committee led by Kabiru Turaki.
Mr Sani said Mr Lamido did not follow the process required to obtain the form for the party’s national chairmanship.
Speaking on The Morning Show on Arise News on Wednesday, he said Lamido showed interest in the position on the day set for the submission of completed forms.
According to him, the party had scheduled the sale of forms through the convention planning committee, which operated from the party’s annex office known as Legacy House.
He said Lamido went to the party’s national secretariat at Wadata Plaza in Abuja to obtain the form on the last day for submission instead of going to Legacy House where the forms were being sold.
Lamido had approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the outcome of the convention.
He told the court that he was denied the opportunity to exercise his right to contest the position of national chairman.
Sani said the party believes some of the arguments it presented were not considered by the Court of Appeal.
According to him, the party may approach the Supreme Court of Nigeria over the matter if necessary.
He said the court did not stop the convention but asked the party to create room for Sule Lamido to participate.
Umar Sani said allowing him to take part without obtaining a form would go against the party’s constitution and its rules.
He added that the party believes the issue should be determined by the Supreme Court.
Earlier in the week, the Court of Appeal in Abuja ruled that the Ibadan national convention was illegal.
The court also held that the faction led by Samuel Anyanwu remains suspended.
The faction is backed by the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike.
