A Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Department of State Service (DSS), Police, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from disrupting the conduct of Congresses in Rivers State.
The order was delivered by Justice Peter Lifu.
The Congresses, scheduled to elect new officers for the PDP at the wards, local governments, and state levels, were at risk of being truncated by the defendants.
Recall that a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the state capital, had last week Tuesday, barred the party from conducting its congress in the state.
However, Justice Lifu’s ruling has paved the way for the PDP to proceed with the Congresses as scheduled.
The ruling follows an ex-parte application brought by six members of the PDP in Rivers State. The applicants sought to restrain the defendants from stopping or disrupting the Congresses, which aim to elect ad-hoc and national delegates as specified in the PDP’s constitution and guidelines.
Justice Lifu ordered the PDP and its national officers to adhere strictly to the guidelines and schedule of activities for the Congresses. He also restrained the PDP from allowing individuals who did not obtain nomination forms within the stipulated time to run for elective offices or delegate positions.
The court fixed August 15 for all parties to appear for their respective defence. The six PDP members who filed the ex-parte application were represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, K. C. O. Njemanze.
