The Court of Appeal in Abuja, will, by 12 noon, today, deliver the reserved judgment in all the appeals that emanated from the judgment of the Federal High Court on the governorship tussle in Ondo State between the Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi-led caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator Ali Modu-Sherif-led faction of the party.
The three-member panel of Justices of the appellate Court, headed by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa had, on Friday, failed to deliver judgement in the appeals filed against the judgment of Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court, which recognised Sheriff as the authentic National chairman chairman of the PDP and also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Jimoh Ibrahim as the governorship candidate of the party in Ondo state.
The appellants are praying the court to set aside Abang’s judgment delivered on Jun 29, 2016 on the ground that the trial judge erred in law by concluding that Sheriff was the national chairman of the party without giving them fair hearing in a case filed by Senator Ali Modu-Sherif before arriving at the conclusion.
They claimed that the action of the judge constituted a denial of fair hearing and subsequently led to a miscarriage of justice in the judgment.
However, in their objection to the appeal, the respondents, led by Prince Biyi Poroye urged the court to decline jurisdiction on the ground that an appeal had been entered at the Supreme Court to challenge the decision of the court of appeal which granted leave to Makarfi and Obi to file appeal in the matter as well as allowing Eyitayo Jegede to appeal Justice Okon’s judgment as an interested party.
The appeal court, upon being formally put on notice of the pendency of an appeal against its rulings put off the judgement pending the hearing and determination of the appeal at the Supreme Court.
The apex court, yesterday (Tuesday) gave the appellate court the go ahead to continue with the hearing of the appeals forthwith.
This made the appeal court panel to fix 12 noon today to deliver its reserved judgment in the appeals.