Like Wike, court restrains PDP from expelling Ortom

Justice A.I Itoyonyiman of the Benue State High Court, Makurdi, on Thursday restrained the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from expelling Governor Samuel Ortom from the party.

The judge issued the order while ruling in a suit with number MHC/46/2023 filed by the governor on Wednesday.

The PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were listed as defendants in the suit.

Ortom is one of the five governors pushing for the resignation of the PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, over his role in the crisis that hit the party after the conclusion of its presidential primary in May last year.

Others are – Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).

The quintet had boycotted the PDP campaign rallies since September last year and listed the resignation of Ayu as a pre-condition for their support of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in this month’s election.

READ ALSO Court stops PDP from taking action against Gov Wike until after presidential election

Justice James Omotoso of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had last Tuesday extended an order stopping the PDP leadership from suspending or expelling Wike from the party over the same matter.

In Makurdi, Justice Itoyonyiman restrained the PDP leadership from expelling Ortom after hearing the affidavit deposed to by his counsel at the court registry on Wednesday.

In the application, the governor urged the court to grant an interim injunction restraining the PDP, its NWC, National Executive Committee (NEC), North-Central Zonal Executive Officers, State or ward Officers from expelling or suspending pending the determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.

The judge has fixed February 24 for the hearing of the matter.

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