Court stops PDP from dissolving Rivers chapter executive committee

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, restrained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national leadership from dissolving the party executive committee in Rivers State over alleged anti-party activities.

The judge gave the order in a motion filed by the PDP chairman in Rivers State, Desmond Akawo.

Akawo had in the suit no FHC/ABJ/CS/112/2023 filed by his counsel, Dr. Joshua Musa (SAN) sought the court’s determination whether they were not entitled to serve out their term which expires on May 22, 2024, in line with provisions of Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 47(1) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended In 2017).

He also sought an order restraining the party and the national chairman from dissolving, suspending, or truncating the tenure of the party executive committees at the state, local government, and ward levels until their four-year term expires, among other reliefs.

The PDP’s former national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, members of the National Working Committee (NWC), National Executive Committee (NEC)) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were listed as respondents in the suit.

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Members of the PDP executive committee in Rivers State who are loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, fell out with the party’s national leadership before the last general election.

In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that the PDP and its national chairman did not deny Akawo’s averments.

He said: “Essentially, the 1st and 2nd defendants have admitted the case of the plaintiff on this issue.

“The law is that facts admitted need no further proof.”

Justice Ekwo, who granted all Akawo’s reliefs, declared that the party and its national chairman cannot unilaterally and without reasonable cause dissolve the state’s executive committee which was democratically elected for a four-year period.

He also restrained the respondents from appointing any person or group of persons as caretaker committees in the state until May 22, 2024.

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