Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has secured an order of the Federal High Court in Abuja stopping the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from suspending as a party member.
Wike, in an ex-parte motion, named the PDP, its NWC, National Executive Council (NEC) of the party, its Chairman Iyorchia Ayu, National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as respondents.
Ruling on Wike’s ex-parte motion, Justice James Kolawole Omotosho ordered parties in the matter to maintain peace, and shall not take any step or act that may make the outcome of the motion on notice dated and filed on February 2, 2023 worthless.
In the order made on February 2, the judge held thus: “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 also granted Wike leave to serve the originating motion and other court processes on the first to fifth respondents by substituted means, such as 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 to 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, declaring that the battle line has been drawn between his group and Ayu.
The Rivers State governor described the action as illegal, vowing to challenge it in court.