By Francis Ekeh, Abuja
 
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned legal practitioners to desist from appearing in courts, filling court processes and representing the party in any form without the approval of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba in a statement on Wednesday said that such representation must be authorized by the party’s National Legal Adviser and its terms and conditions clearly spelt out.
While affirming that the party will continue to engage external solicitors, he added that it is unprofessional, unethical and unacceptable for legal practitioners to represent the party without due authorization.
The statement reads, “The National Working Committee (NWC)of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after a thorough deliberation notes with disapproval the practice of certain legal practitioners appearing in court, representing and filing court processes purportedly on behalf of the party without the knowledge, consent and authorization of the party.
 
“The NWC in the strongest terms rejects, condemns and completely disapproves of the act of external solicitors filing, defending or representing the party in court in any matter whatsoever, without the knowledge and authorization of the appropriate authority of the party.
 
“The NWC holds that this practice is not only bizarre but also inexplicable, unjustifiable and completely unacceptable as it raised serious ethical issues bothering on professional misconduct.
 
“For the avoidance of doubts, the NWC states that Article 42 of PDP’s constitution (as amended in 2017) places the exclusive responsibility of conducting litigation, prosecution, and defense 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.
 
“Against this backdrop, the NWC reiterates that the engagement of external solicitors to handle cases on behalf of the party must be in writing under the hand of the National Legal Adviser specifying amongst other things, the nature of the case and other terms and conditions of the engagement.
 
“The NWC assures that the PDP is a friendly political party that values, engages and will continue to engage external solicitors on its behalf. However, such engagements must come from the relevant authority of the party”.
 
The NWC appealed to party members as well as legal practitioners to be guided maintaining that the party will not hesitate to take stringent measures should there be any future infractions in that regard.