Court Showdown: PDP Leaders Seek Ugochinyere’s Expulsion And Return Of Salaries

Four leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State have filed a suit in the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to compel Ikenga Ugochinyere, the lawmaker representing the Ideato North and South constituency in the House of Representatives, to refund all salaries, allowances, and emoluments he has received since his alleged expulsion from the party.

The suit, led by Imo State PDP Chairman Austine Nwachukwu, demands the court remove Ugochinyere from the House, citing his expulsion from the PDP. Other plaintiffs in the case include Thankgod Okeke (PDP Ideato North LG Chairman), Agatha Onyejisi (PDP Ward Chairman, Umuopia/Umukegwu Ward), and Carl Nwokoma (Imo PDP Vice Chairman/Orlu Zonal Chairman).

Filed on February 27 by the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Johnson Usman, the suit is marked FHC/ABJ/CS/358/2025 and lists Ugochinyere, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the PDP, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to determine whether, according to Sections 65(2)(b) and 68(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, a National Assembly member who loses party membership automatically forfeits their seat unless constitutional exceptions apply.

Arguing that Ugochinyere’s expulsion from the PDP invalidates his eligibility to remain in the House of Representatives, the plaintiffs contend that the Speaker is required by Section 68(2) of the Constitution to declare his seat vacant.

The suit requests that the court declare Ugochinyere no longer a member of the National Assembly due to his expulsion, instruct the Speaker to immediately declare his seat vacant, and order INEC to conduct a bye-election for the Ideato North and South Federal Constituency within 90 days.

In the supporting affidavit, Nwachukwu stated that Ugochinyere was elected under the PDP banner in the 2023 general elections but was expelled for alleged anti-party activities. Nwachukwu also explained that Ugochinyere was invited several times by his ward’s disciplinary committee in 2024 but failed to attend. As a result, he was suspended on October 14, 2024, and expelled by the PDP Local Government Executive in Ideato North on December 5, 2024.