Court declines application to stop PDP national convention

By Ogundele Olanrewaju

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has rejected an application seeking to stop the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its agents from holding proposed National Convention slated for October 29 till 31, 2021

Court documents seen by our correspondent show that the ex parte application was filed by associates of the suspended national chairman, Uche Secondus and former Ekiti governor, Ayo Fayose.

The suit marked FHC/L/CS/1117/2021 has Eddy Olafeso, Rashidi Sunmonu, Bunmi Jenyo, Daisi Akintan and Wahab Owokoniran as plaintiffs.

Listed as defendants are the PDP acting national chairman, Yemi Akinwonmi, deputy national chairman (North) Suleiman Nazif, national secretary Umar Tsauri, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and Attorney General of the Federation.

The plaintiffs also sought the court’s injunction to enable Mr Secondus to resume duties as the party’s helmsman.

Justice Tijjani Ringim, however, swiftly declined the reliefs sought, maintaining that the plaintiffs put the defendants on notice.

There was a mild drama in court prior to Mr Ringim’s ruling. Chucks Ugo, lawyer representing the PDP and Mr Tsauri (PDP Secretary) had a friction with another lawyer, Oladayo Ilori who also claimed he was representing all other party defendants except Mr Secondus.

Mr Ringim, after taking conflicting arguments from both lawyers, concluded that the two legal counsels were in disharmony, hence, lacked the capacity to represent a client.

The presiding judge also said that since the suits against respondents were filed on September 2, the respondents were still within the legal timeframe to respond.

He therefore declared the motion unripe for hearing.

Mr Secondus was first suspended from office by the Degema Division of the Rivers State High Court on August 23. But in a twist, he secured an exparte ruling from the Kebbi State High Court reinstating back to office on August 27.

A court in Cross River however sealed Mr Secondus’ fate, barring him from acting as PDP national chairman effective August 28, 2021.

The PDP then confirmed Mr Akinwonmi, the deputy national chairman (South) as the acting national chairman, in line with the party’s Constitution.