Justice Kolawole Omotosho of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has ordered the People’s Democratic Party to desist from suspending or expelling Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State from its party.
The judge gave the order on Monday following an ex-parte motion brought by Governor Wike against PDP and its leaders.
The respondents include the PDP, its National Working Committee, the National Executive Committee of PDP, the National Chairman of PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, the National Secretary of PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In her ruling, the judge ordered, “all parties in this suit shall maintain peace and shall not take any action or step or act that may make the outcome of the Motion on Notice dated and filed February 2, 2023, nugatory and worthless.
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“Any act or step or action made to make the outcome of the Motion on Notice dated and filed February 2, 2023, nugatory shall be a nullity.”
Background
Wike had approached the court seeking an order to maintain the status quo and stay all actions relating to the threat to suspend or expel him by the 1st to 5th Respondents pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion.
He also sought “An order of the court granting him leave to serve the motion on notice, originating motion and all other processes of the court in the suit on the 1st to 5th Respondents by substituted means to wit, by pasting all the said processes of court on PDP National Secretariat.
Justice Omotosho adjourned till February 14, 2023, for the Motion on Notice hearing and directed that a hearing notice be issued and served on all the Respondents.
The judge said, “That leave is hereby granted to the applicant to serve the originating motion, Motion on notice and all other processes of this court in this suit on the 1st to 5th Respondents by substituted means to wit, by pasting all the said processes of court on PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone S, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,”