By: Sunday Ejike – Abuja
The crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new dimension as Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State secured an order of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja stopping the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party from suspending him from the party.
Wike had, in an exparte motion joined the PDP, its National Working Committee, National Executive Council of the party, the party chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, PDP national secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as respondents.
Ruling on Wike’s motion exparte filed before the court, Justice James Kolawole Omotosho ordered parties in the matter to maintain peace and shall not take a step or act that may make the outcome of the motion on notice dated and filed on February 2, 2023 nugatory and worthless.
In the order made on February 2 and sighted by our correspondent on Monday in Abuja, the judge held, “That any act or step or action made so as to make the outcome of the motion on notice nugatory shall be a nullity.
Justice Omotosho, in his ruling also granted Wike leave to serve the originating motion and other court processes on the first to fifth respondents by substituted means, by pasting all the said processes of the court on the National Secretariat of the PDP, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The court thereafter, adjourned till February 14, 2023 for hearing of the motion on notice.
The G5 Governors – Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Samuel Ortom (Benue) have been campaigning against their party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar – after Atiku rejected their demand to remove the PDP Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
They had accused Ayu of siding with Atiku during the presidential primary of the PDP which the latter won, beating Wike to the second position.
The PDP National Working Committee (NWC) had suspended Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, former Governor Ayo Fayose’s son, Oluwajomiloju, and other candidates of the PDP in Enugu, Imo and Ekiti States.
The NWC also dissolved the Ekiti State Executive Committee which was populated by Fayose’s loyalists.
Wike, in his reaction, accused the PDP leadership of suspending members loyal to the G-5 Governors and added that the battle line had been drawn between his group and Ayu.
The Rivers State governor added that the move was illegal and would be challenged in court.
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