Court stops PDP from sanctioning Rivers governor-elect, other Wike’s loyalists

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, restrained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from sanctioning members perceived to be loyal to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

The judge delivered the ruling on two separate suits filed by some PDP members in the state.

The Rivers State governor-elect, Siminlalayi Fubara, and his deputy, Dr. Ngozi Odu, alongside 48 federal and state legislators from the state had sued the party and its executives over an alleged plan to suspend or expel them for associating with Wike.

The PDP governorship candidate in Cross River State, Senator Sandy Onor, and his running mate, Ambrose Emana, also sued the party for the same reason.

The plaintiffs filed the suits marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/123/2023 and FHC/ABJ/CS/215/2023 by their counsel, Dr. Joshua Musa (SAN).

Governor Wike had earlier approached the court to restrain the major opposition party from suspending or expelling him for alleged party activities.

READ ALSO: PDP dismisses Sekibo, Austin Opara’s purported suspension

Wike led four other governors to boycott the PDP preparations for the February 25 election over the refusal of the immediate past national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, to step down from the position.

In his ruling, the judge that the fears of the applicants were well founded, adding that any attempt to suspend or expel them from the party would amount to a breach of their rights to freedom of association.

He declared that the court has the power to grant redress to persons who had well-established facts on attempts to infringe on their rights.

Justice Ekwo stressed that members of political parties cannot be suspended arbitrarily without compliance with the party’s guidelines.

He said: “The applicants have established that the respondents will likely temper with their rights. The case of the applicants succeeded on merit.”

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