- As Opposition Parties Consolidate On PDP Strongholds
As opposition political parties continue to berserk in the euphoria of crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party by consolidating on their strongholds, a Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an order restraining the PDP and its leadership from suspending or expelling Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state from the party.
This was sequel to an ex parte application marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/139/2023, filed by Wike, praying the court for an order “maintaining status quo and staying all actions in the matter relating to the threat to suspend or expel the applicant by the 1st to 5th respondents pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice”.
Wike in the motion complained of threat by the leadership of the PDP to either suspend or expel him.
Wike in the lawsuit listed the PDP, National Working Committee (NWC), National Executive Committee (NEC), National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st to 6th respondents respectively.
In the ruling delivered on February 2, Justice John Kayode Omotosho said the order shall subsist pending the determination of a motion on notice filed by the applicant.
In his ruling, Justice Omotosho said: “An order is hereby made that all parties in this suit shall maintain peace and shall not take any action or step or act that may make the outcome of the motion on notice dated and filed on 2nd February, 2023 nugatory and worthless.
“Any act or step or action made so as to make the outcome of the motion on notice dated and filed 2nd February, 2023 nugatory shall be a nullity.
“Leave its hereby granted to the applicant fo serve the originating motion, motion on notice and all other process of this court in this suit on the 1st to 5th respondents by substituted means to wit, by pasting all the saxi processes of court on PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“This matter is adjourned till 14th day of February, 2023 for hearing of motion on notice dated and filed 2nd February, 2023.
“Hearing notice is to be issued and served on all the respondents,” Justice Omotosho said.
