Court stops PDP congress in Rivers

A High Court sitting in Rivers State has stopped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from conducting any congress of the party in the state.

The court gave the order following an ex parte motion filed by 21 members of the party in the state led by Ilaye Sunday Kitchen and Agile Handsome Ekelechi.

The plaintiffs joined the party, its Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagun, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, National Secretary Hon. Umar Bature, National Organizing Secretary, and Mr. Daniel Woyegikuro, National Financial Secretary.

Others joined in the suit are the leadership of the party in the state, which include Hon. Aaron Chuk Wuemeka, Dr. Benibo George, Solomon Ogbonna, Lenebari Inaania, Enia Harris, and ThankGod Owhorji.

They prayed the court to restrain the national leadership of the party from conducting any congress in the state.

Justice Wali, after listening to the submission of Emeka Ojoko Esq., held, “It is hereby ordered that an Order of Interim Injunction is hereby made restraining the 1st, 2nd and 3rd sets of Defendants, their agents, servants, assigns, privies, and hirelings from gathering in the 319 wards of the 23 local government areas in Rivers State in howsoever and whatsoever manner for the purpose of conducting and/or from conducting the 1st Defendant’s ward, local government or state congresses in Rivers State on the 27th July 2024, 10th August 2024 and/or 31st August 2024, respectively, or on any other date and place in Rivers State or Nigeria or anywhere and/or from conducting any election of the 1st Defendant’s ad-hoc delegates or national delegates at any forum wheresoever and howsoever, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction already filed herein.

“That an Order of Interim Injunction is granted directing the 4th set of Defendants, their agents, servants and privies to enforce and carry out the order(s) made herein by preventing the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Defendants from organising, holding, or carrying out the 1st Defendant’s ward, local government and state congresses in Rivers State or anywhere else in Nigeria on the above-mentioned dates or any other date(s), pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction already filed herein.

“It is further ordered that the motion on notice and the Originating Summons including this Order be served on the Respondents forthwith by substituted means to wit: by publication in any national newspaper that is widely read in Rivers State.

“It is further ordered that the Applicants are to pay damages to the Respondents as will be assessed should this application be found to be frivolous.”

The case has been adjourned to the 1st of August, 2024, for the hearing of the motion on notice.