UMUAHIA – An Abia State High Court sitting in Bende Judicial Division, has told the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that its earlier order restraining the party from holding State, Local Government and Ward congresses in Abia State, has not been vacated.
The court order dated October 25, was pursuant to the suit marked HB/3/2024, filed by Francis Etuzu, Chidindu Kalu Kalu, and Enyinnaya Ogbu.
This is coming a few hours before the party’s re-scheduled State Congress slated for Saturday, October 26.
The court presided over by Justice C. U Okoroafor, also ordered that contempt proceedings be served on the PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; Abia PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman, Alwell Asiforo Okere; and the Caretaker Committee Secretary, Kenneth Madubuike.
Defendants in the suit include : the PDP (excluding the claimants); the National Chairman of PDP; PDP National Financial Secretary; PDP National Organising Secretary; and the PDP National Legal Adviser.
The order read in part:”That Leave be and is hereby granted the Claimants/Applicants to serve Forms 48, 49 and all other processes in respect of contempt proceedings in this suit on the Defendants i.e. Senator Samuel Anyanwu (National Secretary P.D.P) Alwell Asiforo Okere (PhD) (Chairman
Caretaker Committee Abia State P.D.P) and Kenneth Madubulke (Secretary, Caretaker Committee, Abia P.D.P) by
substituted means, by delivering of same to any adult inmate in the PDP Abia Secretariat at Onyerobi Close, off House of Assembly Road, Umuahia, Abla State or by pasting same at the PDP Abia State secretariat at Onyerobi Close , off House of Assembly Road, Umuahia and/or by electronic means via each of the party’s personal Whatsapp phone number.”
“Parties are hereby once again, reminded that the Order made by this Court on 23rd July, 2024 still subsists until final determination of the substantive matter”.
Recall that the Claimants had on July 23, obtained an order of the court, barring the PDP from holding its ward congress scheduled for 27th July.
The court had also stopped the PDP from extending the tenure of the Okere-led State Working Committee, SWC, of the party.
The July 23rd Court Order restrained the party from carrying out or rescheduling the party congresses pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed.
The court had further restrained the PDP from “taking any decision or giving any directive to further extend the already expired tenure of the last state, local government area and ward executive officers of the party in the state pending the determination of the motion on notice.”
The order read: “It is hereby ordered that leave be and is granted the claimants/Applicants to serve the originating summons and other processes in this suit on the defendants in Abuja , outside Abia State.
“That claimants/ applicants are hereby granted leave to serve the originating summons, orders and all other processes in this suit by substituted means by delivering same to any adult inmate and/ or by posting same at the headquarters of PDP, Wadata plaza, FCT, Abuja.
“That the defendants either by themselves, their representatives, servants, agents, assigns or howsoever called are hereby restrained from holding or carrying on the PDP party congress in Abia State on 27-07-2024 or to reschedule it to be held on any other date or location pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed.
“That the defendants either by themselves, their representatives, servants, agents, assigns or howsoever called are hereby restrained from taking any decision or giving directive to further extend the already expired tenure of the last state, local government and ward executive officers of the PDP in Abia State pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed.”
