Rivers PDP Ignored Court Orders And Proceeded With Ward Congress

Rivers PDP Ignored Court Orders And Proceeded With Ward Congress

On Friday, Justice Charles Wali issued an injunction prohibiting the PDP, including National Chairman Iliya Damagum and National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu, from holding ward, local government, and state congresses until the court reviews and decides on the pending suit. This suit, brought by PDP members from all 23 Local Government Areas, contests the conduct of these congresses……. CONTINUE READING

Earlier, Justice Sobere Biambo had granted an interim order halting the PDP congresses planned for July 27, in response to a lawsuit filed by David Omereji and others against the party’s national leadership. Biambo instructed law enforcement agencies, including the Inspector General of Police, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Security Service (DSS), and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to enforce the order.

Despite these judicial orders, activities were noted at the PDP Secretariat on Aba Road in Port Harcourt, where party members were seen collecting materials for the congresses and proceeding to their wards and councils.

In contrast, a Federal High Court in Abuja, under Justice Peter Lifu, issued a counter-order allowing the PDP to continue with its congresses. This ruling prohibited the DSS, police, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and seven other bodies from interfering with the congresses.

Currently, there are conflicting legal directives concerning the PDP congresses in Rivers State: two orders from the state High Court that halt the congresses and one from the Federal High Court that permits them to proceed. The congresses, beginning with ward congresses on July 27, will be followed by local government congresses on August 26 and state congresses in September, aimed at electing new officials for the PDP at various levels in Rivers State.