Court Extends Order Stopping PDP From Suspending, Expelling Wike To March 6
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, restated its earlier order stopping the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from suspending or expelling Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, from the party.
The judge, James Omotosho, had on 2 February issued the restraining order against the party in a ruling on an ex parte application filed by Mr Wike.
At the resumption of the suit on Tuesday, the judge ordered parties in the suit not to take steps that would render the court’s judgement “worthless.”
“The order of this court made on 2 February, 2023, is hereby extended till the hearing and determination of the substantive suit,” Mr Omotosho restated his order.
In the suit, Mr Wike urged the court to protect his fundamental human rights by restraining the PDP; its National Working Committee; National Executive Committee; National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, and the PDP National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu – from carrying out its threat to either suspend or expel him from the party.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, Mr Wike’s lawyer, Joshua Musa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), acknowledged receipt of court filings from the PDP.
“We were served (with court processes) on 10 February. So, we are within time to respond to them. We will respond to the processes filed,” Mr Musa informed the court.
Responding to the judge’s order, PDP’s lawyer, Johnson Usman, a SAN, promised, “We will not tamper with the res (subject matter of the case pending its determination).”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was represented by M.A Bawa.
Subject to the agreement of lawyers in the case, the judge adjourned the suit till 6 March for the hearing of all pending applications and the substantive matter.
Background
Mr Wike has been at loggerheads with the leadership of the PDP, shortly after he lost out in the party’s presidential primary election last May.
The Rivers governor leads the G5, a group of five PDP governors who are disconsolate with the party leadership.
The G-5 governors comprise – Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpaeazu (Abia) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo).
Following Atiku Abubakar’s emergence as PDP’s presidential standard-bearer, the G5 governors have consistently demanded the resignation of the party’s national chairman, Mr Ayu, who hails from northern Nigeria as Atiku.
They complain of northern domination of the party leadership.
But Mr Ayu remains adamant in relinquishing his post.
Due to a recent suspension of some members of the PDP sympathetic to the G-5 cause, Mr Wike filed the case against the backdrop of rumoured plans by the PDP to either suspend or expel him from the party.
