Abuja—The Federal High Court in Abuja has barred the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from suspending or expelling Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State from the party.
This according to reports by Premium Times.
The judge, James Omotosho, gave the order on Monday following an ex parte application filed by Governor Wike against the PDP.
Wike filed his application on 2 February. He asked the court to order the respondents – the PDP; its National Working Committee; National Executive Committee; National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, and the PDP National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu – to maintain the status quo and stay all actions relating to the threat to suspend or expel him from the party pending the determination of the matter.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was the sixth respondent in the matter.
The governor had also sought the court’s approval to serve the motion on notice and all court processes on the 1st to 5th respondent by substituted means; and paste it on the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.
He further requested an order deeming the substituted service to be made as proper service.
The judge after reading the affidavit in support of the ex parte motion deposed to by Precious Ikpe and filed at the Court Registry and after hearing, granted Mr Wike’s reliefs as sought.
Recall Wike has been at loggerheads with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar after the party primary last year which he lost to Atiku.
The governor fell out with Atiku, the PDP presidential candidate, for reneging on the alleged promise to ensure the exit of the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, so that a southerner can lead the party for the sake of a “regional balance”.
Messrs Atiku and Ayu are both northerners.
Members of the G5, who were appointed to the Atiku presidential campaign council, withdrew their membership and boycotted its inauguration.
The group had in November last year, in Abia State, said they would support a southern presidential candidate for the 2023 election a decision they said was in line with the agreement reached in the southern governors’ forum that Nigeria’s presidency should come to the south in 2023.
Governor Wike last week cancelled the approval the Rivers State Government earlier granted the PDP Presidential Campaign Council to use the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for the 11 February PDP presidential rally in the state.
