Drama Unfolds in Abuja as Senior Advocates Announce Representation for PDP’s Acting Chairman in Congresses Suit
A mild drama played out at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, as three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) announced their representation for the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, in a suit challenging the conduct of congresses of the Rivers State chapter of the party.
The drama unfolded when the court ordered the SANs to take turns announcing their appearances. Initially, K. C. O. Njemanze, SAN, announced his appearance for the plaintiffs, followed by Chief Ferdinand Orbih and Kamaldeen Ajibade, who stood up at the same time to announce their representation for the defendants.
However, the drama did not end there, as another senior advocate, Sunday Ibrahim Ameh, also stood up to announce his representation for the same set of defendants. Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, intervened, prompting the members of the inner bar to resolve the issue among themselves.
Following the commotion, Orbih applied for a short adjournment to enable them to do the needful, which was granted by the court. The case was subsequently adjourned to August 30 for a hearing.
The suit, which was brought by six loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, had been adjourned to August 15 for a hearing. However, the plaintiffs requested an adjournment, citing the need to resolve the issue of representation.
The court also extended its previous ex-parte order restraining the PDP and security agencies from stopping the Rivers State congresses, pending the hearing and determination of the main suit.
In addition, the court could not take the application of some persons seeking to be joined as defendants in the suit, as the case had been stalled. The applicants include David Omereji, Prince Solomon Eke, and others.
The court had earlier restrained the party and its officers from allowing any person who did not obtain a nomination form or ad-hoc form within the time stipulated in the guideline from running for any elective office of the PDP or ad-hoc or national delegates positions, pending the determination of the motion on notice already filed.
The plaintiffs had also been ordered to enter into a fresh undertaking to indemnify the defendants if, by the end of the day, the court discovered that it was misled into granting the restraining orders. The said amount for damages would be assessed by the court.
The defendants in the ex-parte motion are the PDP, Damagum, National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, National Organizing Secretary, Hon. Umar Bature, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and security agencies.
