Court adjourns suits seeking to stop Secondus, Omehia from PDP NEC, BoT meetings

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, fixed April 16 for hearing of a suit seeking to stop former Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, from participating in the party’s meetings.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a short ruling, also fixed the date in a separate suit filed to bar sacked Rivers Governor, Celestine Omehia, from attending the PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting pending the hearing and determination of the matter.

It was reported that Titus Jones, a member of the PDP at Ward 5, Ikuru Town, Andoni Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, had filed a suit marked marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/440/2024.

In the suit, Secondus; PDP; acting PDP Chairman, Umar Damagun; PDP Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; PDP NEC; PDP National Working Committee (NWC); PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are 1st to 8th defendants respectively.

Jones, through his counsel, Joshua Musa, SAN, had sought an order restraining the NEC, NWC, party’s chairman, secretary, and BoT from allowing Secondus to attend any of the meetings pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice, having been suspended from the party.

Also in another suit filed by Precious Wobisike, a member of PDP at Ubima Ward 8, Ikwerre LGA, Omehia, PDP, Damagun, Anyanwu, NEC and INEC as 1st to 6th defendants respectively.

In the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/436/24, Wobisike, also through Musa, sought an order of Injunction restraining Omehia from demanding from Anyanwu, the party’s secretary, any notice of meetings of the NEC.

He also sought an order of injunction restraining Omehia from attending any NEC meeting of the party or participating in the proceedings/deliberations of such meetings in any manner howsoever.

Besides, Wobisike sought an order of injunction restraining Anyanwu from giving notice of meetings of the NEC to Omehia, “not being a former Governor of Rivers State as to be a member of the National Executive Committee.”

He equally sought an order restraining INEC from according recognition to the reports, proceedings, conclusions or resolutions reached at any NEC meeting attended by Omehia.

This, he said, is in violation of the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of AMAECHI v. INEC (2008) 5 NWLR (Pt. 1080) p. 227, the judgment of the High Court of Rivers in the case of Sir Celestine Omehia v. The Governor of Rivers & 2 Ors – Suit No: PHC/3317/CS/2022 and Article 31(1)(w) of the Constitution of PDP (2017 as amended).”

It was observed that Justice Ekwo had, on April 5, granted the motions ex-parte moved by Musa on behalf of Jones and Wobisike restraining Secondus and Omehia from participating in the party’s meetings pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matters.

The judge, who ordered that the processes be served on the respondents within five days, fixed the matter for today for motion on notice.

When the first matter was called, Musa, who appeared for Wobisike, told the court that the ex-parte order had been served on the defendants.

He said the matter was fixed for hearing of the motion on notice.

However, Ibrahim Mark, who represented Omehia, told the court that they were served on Monday and due to the public holiday, they were yet to regularise their processes.

He sought an adjournment to enable them regularise their court documents.

M.S. Atolagbe, who appeared for 2nd to 5th defendants, aligned with Mark’s submission, and Musa did not oppose the application for adjournment.

Justice Ekwo consequently adjourned the matter until April 16 for hearing.

The judge equally fixed the sister case against Secondus to April 16 for hearing.