The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has voiced concerns that certain lawyers appear in court without legal papers or authorization to represent the party on a regular basis.
Furthermore, the party stated that it will not hesitate to take tough actions in the aftermath of the infractions.
It even revealed that the unnamed lawyers had filed court documents on behalf of the party claiming to have been properly consulted.
After careful consideration, the PDP National Working Committee, NWC, disapproves and dismisses the legal actions as deceptive, dubious, and fraudulent in content and aim of acknowledged legal norms and practices.
Debo Ologunagba, the party’s spokesperson, stated this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja.
The party repudiated and distanced itself from such premeditated and manufactured conduct of external solicitors in any subject without appropriate authorisation.
According to the PDP’s highest decision-making authority, the deceptive action was a significant ethical concern involving professional misconduct.
But the PDP said for the avoidance of doubts, “Article 42 of PDP’s constitution (as amended in 2017) places the exclusive responsibility of conducting litigation, prosecution, and defence of cases on behalf of the party including its organs and officials on the National Legal Adviser of the party.
“Under the PDP Constitution nobody, authority, office or organ other than the National Legal Adviser has the competence to engage external solicitors to handle cases on behalf of the party. Consequently, Nobody, Authority, Office or Organ other than the National Legal Adviser can engage external solicitors on behalf of the party”.
In contrast to this development, the party’s national leadership stated that the engagement of external solicitors to handle cases on behalf of the party must be in writing and signed by the National Legal Adviser, stating the nature of the case as well as other terms and conditions of the engagement.
