… Court To Hear suit Thursday

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, will on Thursday hear a motion for interlocutory injunction seeking among others, an order stopping the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) slated for August 17.

The judge on Tuesday granted the applicants, who are mostly members of the Ali Modu-Sheriff faction of the party, leave to have the application heard during the court’s long vacation.

The applicants are – Sheriff, Prof. Wale Oladapo (National Secretary), Dennis Alonge-Niyi (Deputy National Youth Leader), Alhaji Bashir Maidugu (Deputy National Legal Adviser), Mrs. Hanatu Ulam (Deputy National Women Leader), Alhaji Lawa Dutsima Anchi (Deputy National Auditor), Chief Okey Nnadozie (Deputy National Organising Secretary) and Chief Olisa Metuh (National Publicity Secretary).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP are the respondents.

The applicants said the interlocutory injunction is intended to preserve the res pending the determination of a substantive suit they filed on July 4 in which they argued among others, that by virtue of the PDP Constitution, their tenure expires in 2018.

The nine plaintiffs said they filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/464/2016 for themselves and on behalf of the Executive Committee/National Working Committee of the PDP.

The Sheriff faction filed the interlocutory application on July 20 shortly after the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction announced August 17 for the party’s national convention.

They specifically want the court to stop the party from going ahead with the planned national convention pending the determination of their substantive suit.