Embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus says the party is “bigger than any individual or group including desperadoes,” insisting neither he nor the party is “afraid of (any) court.”
Secondus was reacting to a court judgment which restrained him from parading himself as the National Chairman of the PDP.
On Monday, Justice O. Gbasam of the Rivers State High Court sitting in Degema Local Government Area of the state also approved the suspension of Secondus as a member of the party pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
This came after some aggrieved members, Ibeawuchi Ernest Alex, Dennis Nna Amadi, Emmanuel Stephen and Umezirike Onucha, filed a suit against Secondus (1st defendant) and the PDP (2nd defendant).
The judge, after reading the affidavit in support of the motion of ex parte as well as the written address, and after hearing the submission of H.A. Bello, Counsel to the applicants, granted the interim injunction barring Secondus from parading as the PDP National Chairman.
The order read: “An order restraining the 1st Defendant from parading himself as member of the 2nd Defendant or the National Chairman of the Defendant or performing the functions of national chairman of the 2nd defendant or calling, attending or presiding over any meeting of the 2nd defendant or any committee of the 2nd defendant at the Ward, Local Government or State level or calling for any Ward, Local Government or State Congress of the 2nd defendant or setting up committees for such Congresses or participating in any activity of the 2nd defendant whatsoever whilst on suspension as a member of the 2nd defendant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.”
The judge further granted leave to serve by substituted means the originating summons, motion on notice, all orders made by the court and all subsequent processes on the respondent by pasting same on his gate at No.1 William Jumbo Street, Old G.R.A Port Harcourt.
The PDP has been engulfed in internal crisis lately with some members calling for the resignation of Secondus. This has led to several meetings of the party’s hierarchy.
A fortnight ago, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party finally agreed to hold its national convention will hold in October to elect new members of the NWC.
The NWC also warned against going to court on issues concerning the recent crisis in the party.
Nigeria Info can confirm that as at the time of this report, the Rivers State PDP Exco members are in a meeting at its State Secretariat along Aba road in Port Harcourt.
