PDP: It’s Immoral, Unjust to Endorse Tinubu, Appeals Arrest Order Against Chair

*Faction summons NEC meeting to discuss reconciliation terms with Wike’s group 

Chuks Okocha Alex Enumah in Abuja 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction led by Tanimu Turaki, has said it would be “immoral and unjust” for the party to endorse President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 general election.

National Publicity Secretary of the faction, Ini Ememobong, stated this yesterday during an appearance on The Morning Show on Arise Television.

This was as the Turaki faction of the PDP has summoned the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) for Friday to discuss terms of reconciliation with the faction led by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike.

Meanwhile, Turaki has appealed the bench warrant against by a federal high court in Abuja.

Speaking on the idea of endorsing Tinubu, the PDP said, “It is improper, it is immoral, it is unjust, it is unfair for an opposition party of the standing of the Peoples Democratic Party to endorse the presidency or the presidential candidature of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC.”

Ememobong expressed optimism that the party’s ongoing reconciliation process would be guided by logic rather than sentiment.

“So it’s part of the underpinning principle. We are hoping that reason will prevail over emotions,” he added.

He stressed that the Turaki-led faction would insist that any reconciliation effort must strengthen the party’s role as an opposition, rather than reduce it to a subordinate position.

Turaki Group Summons NEC Meeting to Discuss Reconciliation Terms with Wike 

The Tanimu Turaki faction of the PDP has summoned a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) for Friday, to consider reconciliation terms with the faction led by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike.

 Turaki had Wednesday hinted at this, alluding  the advice by the Court of Appeal in Ibadan, Oyo State.

According to the notice of meeting, the NEC meeting, being the second highest decision making body, apart from the national convention, would review the terms of reconciliation reached between its faction and the one loyal to Wike.

THISDAY gathered that one of the terms was that the PDP would be on the ballot to contain all elections from the states gubernatorial elections, all senatorial, house of representatives and states’ houses of assembly.

The NEC is to decide whether the PDP as presently constituted would participate at the presidential election or not.

The NEC is also to accept which of the group within the two PDP groups and individuals would step down in the harmonisation of offices since the executive offices at the state level were still in tact.

Bench Warrant Against Turaki Appealed

The embattled PDP chairman, Tanimu Turaki, has appealed the bench warrant against him by a federal high court in Abuja.

In a statement by his Principal Private Secretary, Ibrahim Abdulahi, he said, ”Today, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama granted a bench warrant against Kabiru Turaki SAN on a charge of giving false information to the police in a petition he wrote as a private citizen in 2022. The warrant was granted because of his absence in court today when the case was called.

”The said petition was written in 2022, and the case emanating therefrom was charged to court today, and due to his sudden hospital visitation, resulting in his absence from the court. Additionally, his lawyers had filed an application seeking to quash  the charge, which ordinarily would not require his presence.

”With the issuance of the bench warrant, his lawyers have immediately filed an appeal and application for the stay of execution against the said order.

”While it needs emphasising that this matter is completely unrelated to the Peoples Democratic Party or the contemporary issues therefrom, external political influence cannot be completely exorcised from it.

“We urge all party members to remain calm as Turaki’s legal team is effectively handling the situation,” he said.

Justice Peter Kekemeke of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had issued a bench warrant for Turaki’s arrest.

Justice Kekemeke issued the arrest warrant on Turak, yesterday, following his failure to make himself available for arraignment, on allegation bordering on providing false information to the police.

The one count charge was filed against him by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

At yesterday’s proceedings when the matter was called, the prosecution counsel, Usman Rabiu informed the court that the business of the day was for Turaki to enter his plea.

Rabiu noted that the defendant was absent in court despite being served with the charge and also served with a hearing notice by the court, informing him about the day’s proceedings.

The prosecution subsequently prayed the court to invoked the provision of Section 396(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, directing for the issuance of an arrest warrant for the defendant to be produced before the court for the purpose of his arraignment.

Rabiu faulted the reference by the defence counsel, Abdulaziz Ibrahim, SAN to a motion he filed for the defendant, asking that the charge be quashed.

He argued that the defence could only challenge the validity of the charge only after the plea of the defendant has been taken.

Ibrahim argued otherwise and urged the court to give him five more days to file written addresses to convince the court that the defendant’s presence was not required until the motion was determined.

In his ruling Justice Kekemeke held that despite being aware of the day’s proceedings having been served with hearing notice and the charge, it was wrong for Turaki to fail to attend court without providing any reason.

He noted that the defence counsel did not deny that his client was served with hearing notice of today’s proceedings, but failed to provide any reason why the defendant was not in court.

Kekemeke held that by the provision of Section 396(2) ACJA 2015 where a defendant, who is aware that a charge is pending against him in court but chose to stay away, the proper order to be made is for bench warrant to ensure the production of the defendant to answer to the charge.

The judge further held that the motion filed by the defendant seeking the quashing of the charge was not ripe for hearing, adding that such a motion could only be heard after the defendant’s plea had been taken.

He, therefore, ordered that a bench warrant be issued on Turaki to compel him to attend court to answer to the pending charge .

Justice Kekemeke then adjourned until April 22 for his arraignment.