Court Stops PDP NWC, Govs, BoT From Dissolving Pro-Wike EXCOs In Rivers State

The Federal High Court in Abuja has restricted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including its Governors, the National Working Committee, NWC, and Board of Trustees, from interfering with or disbanding the Executive Committee in Rivers State.

It is worth noting that members of Rivers PDP EXCO are loyalists of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.

However, Wike, a former governor, is currently at a loggerhead with Siminalayi Fubara, the incumbent governor of Rivers State.

In a ruling on Wednesday, the Abuja court also stopped the PDP Governors and the party’s NWC and BoT from forming any temporary committees to take over the leadership roles of the party at the state, local government, and ward levels in Rivers State.

Justice Peter Lifu made this decision while ruling on a case filed by the PDP Rivers State Executive Committee, led by Aaron Chukwuemeka and his local government and ward members.

Justice Lifu also directed the PDP national organization and others to refrain from interfering with or dissolving the leadership positions of the PDP in Rivers State that were elected during the recent party congress.

In a formal order, the court has stated that the leadership of the Rivers PDP executive committees at the state, local government, and ward levels should not be cut short by the defendants.

Furthermore, the judge has ordered that the defendants must not allow any other group or individuals to substitute the duties and responsibilities of the PDP state, local government, and ward officials elected between July and August 2024.

The plaintiffs in this case, Aaron Chukwuemeka, Oye Fubara Igenewari, and ThankGod Bekee, have filed the lawsuit on their own behalf and on behalf of the state, local government, and ward executive committees.

The defendants in this case include the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagun, Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Bature, NWC, NEC, BOT, INEC, and Alhaji Bala Mohammed of the PDP Governors’ Forum, listed as the first to ninth defendants.

In the ex-parte motion argued on their behalf by Dr Joshua Musa, SAN, the plaintiffs had alleged that the defendants were making clandestine moves to dissolve the legally constituted state, local government and ward executive committees of the PDP in Rivers State.

They also accused the defendants, which included PDP governors, of attempting to establish temporary committees to take over the responsibilities and functions of the state, local, and ward executive committees of the party in Rivers State.

The plaintiffs argued that they would face unfair treatment and financial losses if the defendants were not stopped from committing these illegal actions.

In his decision, Justice Lifu, after reviewing the evidence presented by the plaintiffs, prohibited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing or accepting any individual or groups other than those who were elected in the state, local, and ward elections of the PDP in Rivers State.

At the same time, the judge directed the plaintiffs to submit a new claim of indemnity for all the defendants in the event it is found that the restraining orders against the defendants should not have been issued.

The court has scheduled a hearing for the motion on notice filed by the plaintiffs against the nine defendants for October 4, 2024.