Justice Nusirat Umar of the Kebbi State High Court has ordered Uche Secondus to return to his position as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party,
Giving the order in a suit brought before her in Birinin Kebbi, the state capital in case KB/AC/M. 170/2021, Justice Umar said she was satisfied after reading the affidavit of the respondents that an interim order should be granted on the purported suspension of Secondus pending the determination of the case.
Secondus and the PDP are first and second respondents respectively in the suit brought before the court by three claimants and members of the party: Yahaya Usman, Abubakar Mohammed and Bashar Suleman.
Recall that Justice O. Gbasam of the Degema Judicial Division vacation court, sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State had granted an interim injunction restraining Secondus from parading himself as chairman and member of the PDP.
This was sequel to the consideration of an ex parte application in suit No: PHC/2183/CS/2021 filed by Ibeabuchi Alex, Dennis Amadi, Emmanuel Stephen and Umezirike Onucha against Secondus and the PDP.
Following the Rivers court order suspending Secondus, the Board of Trustees of the PDP had ratified the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South), Yemi Akinwonmi, as the Acting National Chairman of the party in line with the party’s constitution.
But Justice Umar of the Kebbi State High Court stayed the action of the Rivers court on Thursday.
Justice Umar granted, “An order of this Honourable court granting leave to the first respondent (Secondus) to continue exercising all the constitutional powers of the office of Chairman of PDP (second defendant ) as enshrined in both 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended and the Peoples Democratic Party’s constitution pending the hearing and final determination of applicant’s motion on notice.”
The PDP’s home has been in disorder for the past few weeks as some chieftains want Secondus out as the party’s chairman.
PUNCH
