Despite court ruling, Edo PDP holds state Congress

DESPITE a court ruling directing that the status quo be maintained until March 31st when it would rule on an application by the Peoples Democratic Party against a suit filed against it, the party yesterday went ahead with its state Congress to elect new state leaders for the party. As at the time of filing this report, the party was commencing accreditation of delegates.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Aikhuenegbe Anthony Malik, warned the party against conduct of the State Congress. Justice Joy Okeaya-Inneh of the Edo State High Court sitting in Ekpoma ordered status quo be maintained till March 31st when it would rule on whether to strike out the suit filed by Hon Sylvanus Eruaga against the February 1st Ward congresses of the party. The court ordered all parties to maintain status quo.

Counsel to Eruaga, Barr. Dele Igbinedion said his clients would abide and urged the PDP and INEC to obey the order. Some aggrieved Edo PDP leaders had also filed a suit at the Abuja Federal High Court challenging the conduct of the party’s Ward and Local Government Congresses on February 1st and March 7. Malik in a letter to National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, said a motion of notice has been filed seeking an interlocutory injunction restraining the party from holding or organising State Congresses because the Wards and LG Congresses were in violation of PDP constitution.

According to him, “It is noteworthy that the suit having been properly filed before a competent court of law, position of the law is that parties ought to and indeed should respect the institution of the judiciary by ensuring that nobody takes any step to tamper with the litigation. “You are accordingly advised and required by law to suspend the proposed State Congress in Edo State.

We are confident that under your leadership, the party will not act otherwise. “Clearly, no harm will occasion any party to this suit on account of a suspension or postponement of the Congress until a determination of the Motion on Notice by the Court.” When contacted, Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, said there was no court order stopping the State Congress as only a suit has been filed. Vanguard