The embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, has been restrained by a Cross River High Court from resuming his office.
TrackNews Online reports that Secondus was barred from presiding over any meeting of the party by Justice Edem Kooffreh, on Friday.
While ruling on a motion ex parte marked HC/240/2021, Justice Kooffreh granted an interim order barring Secondus from resuming office as the PDP national chairman until the motion is heard.
The judge also barred the PDP from granting Secondus the powers due to the office of the national chairman and ordered that the notice of the ruling be served to the parties by substituted means.
The judge ruled: “An order of interim injunction restraining the first defendant (Secondus) from presiding over the national executive committee meeting of the 2nd Defendant scheduled to hold on Saturday, the 28th of August, 2012 or any subsequent meeting of the national executive committee of the second defendant and from presiding over any meeting of any organ of the second defendant or attending any of such meetings of functions in the capacity of national chairman of the party or in any other manner or form attempting to forcefully gain entrance into any such meetings or into the premises of the second defendant as national chairman of the party pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
“An order of interim injunction restraining the second defendant, its members, officers and agents from recognising the first defendant as its national chairman or from according to him any of the powers, rights or privileges due to the holder of the office of the National chairman of the 2 Defendant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“The notice of the ruling be served to the parties by substituted means by “pasting at the entrance of the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Wadata Plaza, Plot 1970, Michael Okpara Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria and by publication in two (2) National Newspapers in Nigeria,” the judge added.
Recall that a High Court in Rivers State had barred Secondus from parading himself as the national chairman of the party and member of the party.
On Thursday, the party subsequently named the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party, Yemi Akinwonmi, as its acting chairman.
A few hours later, Justice Nasirat Umar who is on vacation at the Kebbi High Court reinstated Secondus as national chairman of the party.
