According to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Magaji Mato, anyone planning to buy nomination forms from a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party should think twice. He made this warning during an appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Friday.
Mato argued that the Supreme Court’s recent judgment on the PDP leadership crisis failed to recognize any specific faction as the legitimate leadership. This means no group can claim sole ownership of the party without further court backing.
He stressed that aspirants purchasing forms from any faction are doing so at their own peril. If a rival faction or another political party challenges the legitimacy of such candidates in court, they may have a strong case.
The ideal path, according to Mato, would have been for the PDP Board of Trustees to call all warring factions together and seek reconciliation before moving forward with party primaries. However, he doubts this is possible given the fast-approaching deadlines set by the Independent National Electoral Commission for candidate submissions.
Mato warned that any faction acting under the PDP name without additional judicial support will likely end up in court defending its candidates. He concluded that the ongoing sale of forms may serve a purpose known to the faction leaders, but buyers should be aware that their candidacy could be invalidated.