(Quintessential legal and moral questions and observations)
Crux of the matter:
Kaduna state PRO of PDP conveyed the decision of Wadata Plaza of converting existing executives from ward to state to caretaker committee,at 9:52am of 28th April 2020. He piqued; the decision was transmitted via a letter dated 24th April 2020. The ‘illegal clusters” were given a lifespan of three moths(maximum) .The chief project they “must” perform is;organising local government and state congresses.
Unconnected dots:
The PRO said:”the NWC by its letter of 24/4/2020 addressed to the State Party, has approved the following”. Only new arrivals from NEPTURE the fartherest planet dont know that Abuja–headquarters of the party was on a 24/7 lockdown on 24th April 2020.
Furthermore,checks show that, the party has a tradition of notifying the public of all its exco meetings and resolutions. The meeting and resolutions in focus were a surprising exceptions.
More to it,only certified scalawazs and bombaclaats dont know that political activities arent essential services that are permissible by NCDC guidelines and Quarantine Act.
Legal and moral banana peels:
Before the truncation of earlier scheduled congresses,almost all the LGA and state executives had their hats in the rings. The party constitution,congress guidelines and 1999 constitution(as amended) permitted that. Now that their status has changed (from elected officials to appointees);they lack the legal cover to be members of caretaker(s) and contestants, contemporaneously. One must not be a serious student of Professor Laurence T.Tribes of Havard Law School or admirer of Justice Chukwudifo Oputa to know that; it’s outrightly illegal and morally bankrupt to be a member of a caretaker committee and be a contestant,simultanously This will not stand the rigour of legal challenges in the hallow chambers. It cant. Trust me,it cant.
Injunction:
There was a High Court injuction that halted results of ward congresses before the lockdown.Yes, the order was interim and had a time-limit. But the lockdown caught-up with days given for the litigants to appear before it. Has the lockdown rendered the order a nullity? Me thinks all parties must wait for resumption of work,pick a new date,and get another pronouncemnet before proceeding.
Wadata’s dated 24th April 2020 gave the go order to swear-in ward executive on Thurday 30th April 2020–what will happen to NCDC guidelines of social distancing and KDSG Quarantine Act illegalising large gatherings? Must we project our inherent in-house lawlessness and corrosive inpunity to the wider society? If KDSG laws close-on,hope we will not cry of blue murder, oppression, and suppression of opposition.
Not yet uhuru:
Those that incubated and hatched this coup de grace allowed their hyeractive and unordinate ambition to override constitutional provisos and moral high-grounds.These decisions,like their pre-congress conscious missteps will be greeted with;sudden,massive,and decisive legal fireworks from some of us. PDP, our paty,must conduct itself within the parametres of its own laws and our 1999 constitution(as amended) else– we will continue to test its decisions in the courts.
Benediction:
Hope this early warning signs will make them pull the brakes,and get the train back on legal cum moral track.
Aluta continua.victoria ascerta. Hasta la victoria siempre.
John Danfulani
28th April 2020
@john_danfulani
John_danfulani
