An Abuja Federal High Court has issued a restraining order against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors, the National Working Committee (NWC), and the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, preventing them from interfering with or dissolving the Executive Committee of the party in Rivers State. The court ruling comes amidst a power struggle between loyalists of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the ruling in response to an ex-parte application brought by the PDP Rivers State Executive Committee, led by Aaron Chukwuemeka, and counterparts at the local government and ward levels. The court order prohibits the PDP governors, NWC, and BoT from constituting any interim committee to replace the existing party officers in Rivers State.
Furthermore, the court mandated that the tenure of the Rivers PDP executive committees at the state, local government, and ward levels should not be prematurely terminated by the defendants. It also instructed that no other group or individuals should be allowed to perform the duties and functions of the elected PDP officers in Rivers State.
The plaintiffs, including Aaron Chukwuemeka, Oye Fubara Igenewari, and ThankGod Bekee, raised concerns that the defendants were plotting to dissolve the legally constituted executive committees in Rivers State and replace them with interim committees. They argued that such actions would result in injustice and losses unless restrained by the court.
Justice Lifu’s ruling also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing any other individuals or groups apart from those elected during the PDP elections in Rivers State. The plaintiffs have been directed to provide an undertaking to indemnify the defendants in case the restraining orders are deemed unwarranted.
The court has scheduled a hearing for October 4, 2024, to address the motion on notice filed by the plaintiffs against the PDP, NWC, BoT, and other defendants involved in the dispute over the leadership of the PDP in Rivers State.