A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, restrained the national body of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from dissolving the Rivers’ chapter of the State Executive Committee (SEC) over alleged anti-party activities.

Delivering judgment, Justice Inyang Ekwo, said he found that the case of the plaintiff, Mr Desmond Akawo, succeeded on merit.

Akawo, the Rivers’ PDP Chairman, had sued the party and Dr Iyorchia Ayu (the immediate-past National Chairman representing himself and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC)) as 1st and 2nd defendants.

The plaintiff also joined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 3rd defendant in the amended originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/112/2023 and filed on March 9 by his counsel, Dr Joshua Musa, SAN.

Akawo sought the court’s determination whether having regard to the provisions of Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 47(1) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended In 2017), they were not entitled to serve our their term.

He said he and other members of the SEC, the LGA executive committees and the ward executive committee were elected and sworn-in pursuant to the state’s congress held on March 21, 2020 and were entitled to complete their four-year term which expires on or about May 22, 2024.

Akawo, in the affidavit which he personally deposed to, averred that the PDP ans its national chairman on Jan. 4, prior to the general elections, threatened to unilaterally dissolve the Rivers’ chapter of SEC and replace the same with an Interim Caretaker Committee.

He, however, said that prior to the threat, neither any member of the state committee nor himself had ever been queried by them.

He, therefore, sought an order of injunction restraining the party and the national chairman from dissolving, suspending or truncating the tenure of the Rivers’ SEC, the LGA executive committees and the ward executive committees until May 22, 2024, when their four-year term would expire, among other reliefs.

Justice Ekwo held that the PDP and its national chairman did not deny Akawo’s averments.

“Essentially, the 1st and 2nd defendants have admitted the case of the plaintiff on this issue.

“The law is that facts admitted need no further proof;” he said.

The judge, who granted all Akawo’s reliefs, declared that the party and its national chairman cannot unilaterally and without reasonable cause, dissolve the state’s EXCOs who were democratically elected for a four-year period.

He also gave an order of injunction, restraining them from appointing any person or group of persons as interim caretaker committee in the state until May 22, 2024.

Justice Ekwo further gave an injunction order restraining INEC from according recognition or accepting any name as caretaker committee of the PDP in the state except those democratically elected and represented by Akawo in the suit.

Sen. Ireti Kingibe (LP -FCT) has urged Nigerians to remain committed to the ideals of democracy as it remained the best form of government.

Kingibe, whose victory in the Feb. 25, Senatorial election was affirmed by the Elections Petitions Court on Tuesday, made this call in a statement to mark the International Democracy Day.

She said that in spite of the hiccups and challenges faced by the nation since its return to democracy, Nigeria has held together and fared better under civilian democratic rule than it did under authoritarian regimes.

“As we mark the International Day of Democracy, it is fitting that we celebrate the gains achieved by our adherence to the rule of law.
“It is indubitable that we are not where we had expected to be when we commenced this democratic journey in 1999,.

“However, we have certainly made progress in terms of greater respect for the rule of law, the dignity of the human person, and the fundamental human rights of Nigerians.

“We must consolidate on these gains as we press for more commitment from everyone including governments across all levels, for greater tolerance and acceptance of our ethnic and religious diversity,”she said.

According to Kingibe ,it is an incontrovertible fact that the things that bind Nigerians together are far more resilient than the centrifugal forces threatening the country’s unity.

“If we stand firm , together, we will defeat these forces, and only then can our nation fulfill its manifest destiny of being the voice of black people everywhere in the world.”

Kingibe assured residents of Abuja that her tenure as their representative would usher in an era of improved security, healthcare, peace as well as provision of social infrastructure in the Federal capital.

She promised to hold the mandate given to her by FCT residents sacred and to fully discharge the mandate to their satisfaction.

She said she would work relentlessly with her colleagues in the National Assembly and members in the executive branch of government, to ensure qualitative improvement in the well-being of FCT residents .