The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a restraining order against the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum, the party’s National Working Committee, and the PDP Board of Trustees. They are prohibited from interfering with or dissolving the Executive Committees of the party in Rivers State. The court ruling also prevents them from setting up any interim committee to replace the current officers at the state, local governments, and ward levels in Rivers State who are loyal to Minister Nyesom Wike.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the order in response to an ex parte application filed by the PDP Rivers State Executive Committee, led by Aaron Chukwuemeka, and other executives at the local governments and ward levels. The plaintiffs raised concerns that the defendants were planning to dissolve the existing executive committees in Rivers State and install interim committees in their place.
The court order restrains the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing any other individuals or groups apart from those elected during the PDP congresses in Rivers State. It also prevents the PDP national body and others from interfering with the leadership at the local governments and ward levels that were elected during the party’s congresses.
A hearing for the motion on notice has been scheduled for October 4, 2024. This development follows a disagreement between Nyesom Wike and the PDP Governors’ Forum regarding the leadership of the PDP in Rivers State. The governors are advocating for the nullification of recent congresses that favored Wike over the incumbent Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Seven out of the 13 PDP governors are also calling for the removal of the PDP acting National Chairman, who is aligned with Wike.