The Kogi state high court sitting in Kabba on Monday 28th of June declined Jurisdiction in the case brought before it by Chief Benson Omofe to determine if the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party can overule the constitution of the party which empowers the state executive of the PDP to appoint him as the Zonal chairman. Chief Omofe among others things also sought the order of the court to stop any other person from parading himself as the zonal chairman of the party.
In his ruling, justice Samuel Obayomi of the high court, ruling on the preliminary objection raised by the defence counsel said Chief Omofe did not exhaust the internal mechanism of his party before approaching court. He therefore ruled that the court lacks jurisdiction to delve into the internal affairs of the PDP.
The court also refused to go into the substance of the case brought before it, urging all the parties to go back and exhaust all internal mechanisms to resolve the crisis.
In his reaction, Chief Benson Omofe insisted that he remain the zonal chairman of the party despite the fact that the court declined jurisdiction in the case.
Chief Omofe said no other person is a claimant in the suit and the court is not a father Christmas and will not in anyway recognise anyone as the Zonal chairman of the party.
He said the rumours in some quarters that another person was declared winner is unfounded as his name was not mentioned anywhere in the judgment since the court refused to entertain the matter in the first place.
Chief Omofe urged the party loyalist to remain calm and law abiding as he will do everything possible to rescue the PDP from those who have benefited from the party but are now bent on destroying the platform.