At the Federal High Court, Abuja at about 10:06hrs on Friday 7th July. 2023, a landmark judgement was delivered in the lingering case involving *-SDP, Chief Supo Shonibare & others vs Prof. Adeniran &others.
In summary, the Judge ruled that the matter is an internal affair of the party , and sighted some cases to buttress the point that the Court lacks jurisdiction to hear such matters.
The Judge further said he agreed with the Plaintiffs (i.e. SDP led by Chief Supo Shonibare) that they are the Custodians of the 2011/2012 Constitution of the Party.
He again said that the 2016 and other conventions of the Party till date were internal party matters which did not concern him.
*It will be recalled that Hon. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu had since 2020 overruled the Preliminary objection of the Defendants, insisting that the Court has jurisdiction to hear the case because it borders on the infringement of SDP constitution before she was transfered.
*The embarrassing U-turn of the new Judge, who suddenly constituted himself to a one-man appeal panel to overturn the decision of his predecessor on the issue of Jurisdiction shall be another acid test for the nations jurisprudence when the matter progresses to a properly constituted Federal Court of Appeal.
However, the implication of this judicial abracadabra is that the Party should resolve her matter (Constitutional breaches inclusive) internally, is an open invitation to chaos and endorsement of the existing two parallel National Executives of SDP.
*It’s certainly not over until it is over.
Dr Shola Agboola, Ondo State SDP Secretary & Public Affairs Analyst.
