The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, has upheld the selection and installation of Oba Ghandi Olaoye as the Soun of Ogbomoso, setting aside an earlier ruling that nullified his appointment.

Delivering judgment on the appeal filed by Oba Olaoye on Tuesday, Justice Yargata Nimpar, who led a three-member panel, resolved all 10 grounds of appeal in the monarch’s favour.

The Oyo State High Court in Ogbomoso, presided over by Justice K. A. Adedokun, had on October 25, 2023, nullified Oba Olaoye’s selection, ruling that the nomination process was “irregular, null, and void.”

The judgment followed a suit filed by Prince Kabir Olaoye, one of the contenders for the throne, who argued that the selection process violated the 1958 Soun Chieftaincy Declaration.

In response, Oba Olaoye and key kingmakers—Chief S.O Otolorin, Salawu Ajadi, Tijani Abioye, David Adeniran Ojo, and Yusuf Kasali Oladipupo—filed an appeal challenging the verdict.

They also secured a stay of execution, which paved the way for Governor Seyi Makinde to formally inaugurate Olaoye as the Soun on December 20, 2023.

The appellants, represented by Prof. Yusuf Ali (SAN), argued that the High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit, as the claimant, Prince Kabir Olaoye, failed to explore internal dispute resolution mechanisms provided under the Oyo State Chiefs Law.

They cited Section 20 of the law, which mandates that disputes over chieftaincy appointments must first be referred to the state governor.

Justice Nimpar agreed with the appellants, stating that they were denied a fair hearing and that jurisdiction does not have a fixed guideline.

“The judgment of the Oyo State High Court is hereby set aside,” she ruled, adding that all the issues raised were resolved in favour of the appellants.

The court also awarded a cost of N500,000 against the defendants, including Prince Kabir Olaoye, Governor Seyi Makinde, the Oyo State Attorney-General, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Ogbomoso North Local Government, the Traditional Council of Ogbomoso North, and Amos Olawole Olaoye.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, BoT, on Wednesday affirmed Sunday Ude-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary.

The decision of the Board was made public by the BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara at the ongoing 80th session in Abuja.

Wabara said the BoT affirmed Ude-Okoye after the trustees thoroughly reviewed documents provided by both aggrieved parties.

Ude-Okoye was PDP’s former National Youth Leader before he was adopted by the party’s South-East Caucus to replace Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.

Recall that on January 31, PDP governors, led by Bala Mohammed of Bauchi endorsed the Court of Appeal judgment which affirmed Ude-Okoye as National Secretary and urged the National Working Committee, NWC, to implement it.

The PDP Governors Forum also distanced its members from Anyanwu and confirmed Ude-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary during a meeting in Asaba, Delta State.

Despite the party’s stance, Anyanwu insisted on the position, leading to a clash that occurred during a meeting at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja last week.

The Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party has affirmed former National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye, as the party’s substantive National Secretary, throwing its weight behind PDP governors amid the party’s lingering leadership crisis.

The BoT Chairman and former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, made the announcement on Tuesday at the 80th meeting of the Board in Abuja, following months of internal wrangling over the position.

“The BoT, after reviewing all submissions and relevant court judgments, recognizes Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the PDP in full compliance with the declaratory judgment of the Enugu High Court, upheld by the Court of Appeal,” Wabara stated.

The PDP has been embroiled in a leadership crisis exacerbated by the fallout from the 2023 general elections.

Discontent has been particularly directed at the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, with party members blaming him for the PDP’s declining fortunes after taking over from Iyorchia Ayu.

The battle over the National Secretary position intensified after the South-East PDP nominated Ude-Okoye to replace Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who contested the Imo State governorship election.

Despite the Court of Appeal’s December 2024 ruling affirming Ude-Okoye, Anyanwu’s loyalists resisted the decision, leading to tensions within the party.

Matters escalated on January 28 when Anyanwu’s supporters disrupted a BoT meeting, forcibly ejecting Ude-Okoye before security personnel restored order.

In response, PDP governors, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, endorsed the court’s ruling and called for immediate implementation by the National Working Committee.

Wabara noted that the BoT’s decision was based on the report of a committee chaired by Barr. Kabiru Turaki (SAN), which thoroughly reviewed the legal and constitutional aspects of the matter.

Wabara said, “The BoT asserts its role as the conscience of the party under Sections 13 (1)(r) and 32 (5)(a) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017), ensuring the highest standards of morality within the party.

“The BoT charges the NWC to recognize and immediately swear in Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye as the National Secretary of the PDP, in obedience to the judgment of the Court of Appeal.”

Meanwhile, Anyanwu has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, the Supreme Court, and the Appeal Court, insisting he remains the rightful National Secretary.

He criticised the governors’ endorsement of Ude-Okoye, warning it could deepen the party’s crisis.

The BoT commended the PDP Governors’ Forum and the NWC for scheduling the National Executive Committee meeting for March 13, 2025, describing it as crucial for the party’s future.

“The NEC meeting will serve as a platform for critical deliberations that will shape not just the future of our party but also the political trajectory of Nigeria,” the BoT stated.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has declared that Julius Abure remains the National Chairman of the Labour Party.

A three-member panel of the appellate court in a judgement delivered by Justice Hamma Barka, held that its judgement of November 13, 2024, which recognized Abure as national chairman subsists and has not been set aside by any court.

Barka made the declaration on Friday while delivering judgement in two separate appeals filed by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and the caretaker committee and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The appellate court in the two separate appeals held that it did not delve into the issue of the leadership of the Labour Party, because such issues are not justiciable.

According to the appellate court, anything that is done outside jurisdiction amounts to a nullity. Hence the judgement of the Federal High Court delivered on October 8, 2024 by Justice Emeka Nwite is of no effect because it was delivered without jurisdiction.

“We cannot say this appeal fails or succeed because the lower court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit in the first place”, Barka held.

While striking out the suit for want of jurisdiction, he held that the appellate relied on its previous judgement of November 13 last year to hold that “Abure Remains National Chairman of the Labour Party”.

An Appeal Court has affirmed Julius Abure the Labour Party, LP, National Chairman.

A notification on the Labour Party’s X handle on social media read, ”Barr Julius Abure remains the LP National Chairman, Appeal Court Rules”

A quick call to the Publicity Secretary of the Party, Obiora Ifoh confirmed the development.

The latest judgement comes after a Federal High Court had earlier ruled that Abure is the rightful leader of the party.

Details to follow….