Federal High Court Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, on Tuesday, restrained the Department of State Service (DSS), Police, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and seven others from stopping, truncating or disrupting the conduct of Congresses for wards, local governments for the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Delivering ruling in an ex-parte application filed by six members of the PDP in Rivers state, Justice Lifu ordered the PDP, acting national chairman of the party, Ambassador Iliya Umar Damagum, National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and National Organizing Secretary, Hon. Umar Bature to proceed with the conduct of the Congresses as scheduled by PDP.
The court also restrained the PDP and it’s three national officers from allowing any person who did not obtain nomination form or adhoc form within the time stipulated in the guideline from running for any elective office of the party or adhoc or national delegates position pending the determination of the motion on notice already filed
In granting the request of the six PDP members, the court ordered them to enter into a fresh undertaking to indemnify the defendants to be assessed by the Court if by the end of the day, the Court discovered that it was misled into granting the restraining orders.
However, Justice Lifu ordered the PDP and the three national officers to adhere strictly and honour the provisions of the guidelines, adjusted timetable and scheduled of activities 2024, duly issued and published pending the determination of a motion on notice for interlocutory injunction filed along with the motion ex-parte.
A certified enrolled order in respect of the motion ex-parte signed by Justice Lifu and Registrar of the Court, Mrs Awase Igba dated July 23, 2024, indicated that K. C. O. Njemanze, SAN, argued the ex-parte application on behalf of the six plaintiffs.
Hon. Aaron Chukwuemeka, the current Chairman, Caretaker Committee of PDP in Rivers State deposed to an affidavit in support of the ex-parte application.
The six PDP members who filed the ex-parte application are; Hon Aaron Chukwuemeka, Dr Benibo George, Solomon Ogbonna, Lenebari Inaania, Enia Harris and ThankGod Owhorji.
Defendants in the ex-parte motion marked FHC/ ABJ/ CS/106/12014 are; PDP, Damagum, Anyanwu, Bature, INEC, Nigeria Police Force, Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Director General, State Security Service (SSS) and DSS as 1st to 10th defendants respectively.
Recall that the PDP had scheduled congresses to elect new officers that will run the affairs of the PDP at the wards, LGs and State levels in Rivers State.
The Congresses are also to elect adhoc and national delegates as specified in the constitution, guidelines, adjusted timetable and scheduled of activities 2024 .
Meanwhile, Justice Lifu has fixed August 15 for all parties in the motion on notice to appear before him for their respective defense.
