Court Suspends PDP Convention

Tobi Soniyi and Alex Enumah

A Federal High Court has ‎issued an order suspending the proposed national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The convention‎ is slated for Tuesday at Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Justice Okon Abang who issued the order that suspended the convention said that he did so in the interest of justice to both parties in a suit pending before him.‎

Abang also said that the order was issued to curb the excesses of some parties in the matter and to serve as a discliplinary action against those treating the court with levity.

He made particular reference to Sen. Ben Obi, a member of the caretaker committee.

The judgment followed the interim order obtained by Obi from a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt division in which the Police, the Department of State Security Services, DSS, and the Director -General, DSS, were restrained from interfering or stopping the Port Harcourt convention.

The Port Harcourt ex-parte order also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to supervise and monitor the convention planned by the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi led faction and the BOT of the party.

Justice Abang whose attention was drawn to a copy of the ex-parte order obtained by Obi who had been joined as a party in the case before him said that the action of Obi in filing the motion was in bad taste.

The judge held that Obi secretly went to Port Harcourt to obtain the said order when he knew that he was a party seeking to be joined in the legal action filed by the Ali Modu-Sheriff faction seeking to stop the Port Harcourt convention.

“Sen. Ben Obi cannot undermine the authority of this court having become aware of the pendency of this matter, he ought to have waited for the outcome of this court.

“He cannot slap the court in the face and expect the court to grant him any indulgence.

“Democracy is not anchored on the whims and caprices of anybody, it is also not anchored on self help. Obi cannot treat the court with levity.”

Further details later