An Abia State High Court sitting in Bende Judicial Division has reiterated its earlier order prohibiting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from conducting State, Local Government, and Ward congresses in Abia State.
The court’s ruling, dated October 25, is in connection with the suit marked HB/3/2024, filed by claimants Francis Etuzu, Chidindu Kalu Kalu, and Enyinnaya Ogbu.
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This decision comes just hours before the party’s rescheduled State Congress set for Saturday, October 26.
Justice C. U. Okoroafor, who presided over the case, also ordered that contempt proceedings be initiated against several party officials, including PDP National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Abia PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman Alwell Asiforo Okere, and Caretaker Committee Secretary Kenneth Madubuike.
The court order stated: “That Leave be and is hereby granted the Claimants/Applicants to serve Forms 48, 49 and all other processes in respect of contempt proceedings in this suit on the Defendants i.e. Senator Samuel Anyanwu (National Secretary P.D.P) Alwell Asiforo Okere (PhD) (Chairman Caretaker Committee Abia State P.D.P) and Kenneth Madubulke (Secretary, Caretaker Committee, Abia P.D.P) by substituted means, by delivering of same to any adult inmate in the PDP Abia Secretariat at Onyerobi Close, off House of Assembly Road, Umuahia, Abia State or by pasting same at the PDP Abia State secretariat at Onyerobi Close, off House of Assembly Road, Umuahia and/or by electronic means via each of the party’s personal WhatsApp phone number.”
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The court further reminded all parties involved that the previous order made on July 23, 2024, remains in effect until the final determination of the case.
The claimants had initially secured an order on July 23 prohibiting the PDP from holding its ward congress, originally scheduled for July 27.
The July 23 order also prevented the PDP from extending the tenure of the Okere-led State Working Committee (SWC).
The court had issued restrictions preventing the party from conducting any congresses or rescheduling them until the motion on notice filed by the claimants is heard and determined.
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The order specified: “It is hereby ordered that leave be granted to the claimants/Applicants to serve the originating summons and other processes in this suit on the defendants in Abuja, outside Abia State. That claimants/applicants are hereby granted leave to serve the originating summons, orders, and all other processes in this suit by substituted means by delivering same to any adult inmate and/or by posting same at the headquarters of PDP, Wadata Plaza, FCT, Abuja.”
Furthermore, it stated: “That the defendants either by themselves, their representatives, servants, agents, assigns, or howsoever called are hereby restrained from holding or carrying on the PDP party congress in Abia State on 27-07-2024 or to reschedule it to be held on any other date or location pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed.”
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The ruling emphasizes that the PDP is barred from making any decisions or giving directives that would further extend the tenure of the last state, local government, and ward executive officers of the party in the state pending the resolution of the motion on notice.
