The New Associates, the group behind the planned April 12th “Bayelsa mega rally” for President Bola Tinubu and the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, has said it will go ahead with the rally despite the recent high court order restraining it not to hold the rally.
Recall that the High Court of Bayelsa State sitting in Yenagoa, on Thursday, had ordered the group to not go ahead with the rally.
The court declared that, “An order of the interim injunction is hereby made or granted restraining the 1st and 2nd Defendants, whether by themselves, their agents, associates, privies, representatives (or any person whatsoever acting at their behest), from conducting, convening, coordinating, engaging in, organizing, participating in, holding, hosting, or facilitating any political assembly, rally meeting, or gathering within Bayelsa State, for the purpose of solidarity, hosting, and celebrating the 2nd Defendant in Bayelsa State, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.”
However the group in a statement by its lead convener, Barr. George Turnah (MON) on Friday argued that the court only stopped rallies, meetings, and gatherings for the sole purpose of celebrating or hosting the 2nd defendant in the case, which is the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike.
This, it said, is different from its purpose which is to Thank and appreciate President Bola Tinubu for the appointment of notable persons from the Bayelsa State to serve in the current federal dispensation.
It maintained that the Court order did not restrain it from going ahead with the rally.
The statement reads: “We will obey only an order of court directing us not to proceed with any rally in Yenagoa for the purpose of thanking and appreciating President Tinubu for the appointment of notable sons and daughters of Bayelsa into positions of trust and the inauguration of the Bayelsa State Chapter of the NEW Associates.
“These are the only two purposes of our planned April 12th Mega Rally in Yenagoa, and since the court didn’t capture these two key purposes, being the advertised purpose for the mega rally, the rally will lawfully and legally go on as there’s no court order stopping it.
“The Yenagoa High Court order only stopped rallies, meetings, and gatherings called for the sole purpose of celebrating or hosting the 2nd Defendant H.E Nyesom Wike in Yenagoa. That is certainly not our purpose, so there’s no court order stopping us from proceeding as it were.
“The court did not order that we should not hold our rally. The court said if the purpose is to celebrate or host Wike, then it shouldn’t hold. Period.”
