Ayu: Judge Adjourns Suit to April 28, Returns File to CJ

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

A Makurdi High Court yesterday, adjourned the suit seeking to remove the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, to April 28, 2023.

Ayu was suspended by the PDP ward executive of his Igyorov ward of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, after passing a vote of no confidence him.

Justice Wilfred Kpochi had on March 27th, 2023, issued an interim order restraining Ayu from parading self as the National Chairman of the PDP, pending the hearing and determination of the suit with number: MHC/85/2023, filed by a member of the PDP, Conrad Terhide Utaan, seeking to remove Ayu as National Chairman of the party following his suspension by his ward executive.

When the matter came up yesterday, counsel to Ayu, J.J Usman, informed the court that he was withdrawing Ayu’s preliminary objection and counter affidavit to the suit, filed on April 3rd, 2023.

Lead counsel to Utaan, Emmanuel Ukala, did not oppose the application for the withdrawal of the two processes. He, however, asked the court to award cost against Ayu as the plaintiff came prepared for hearing of the substantive suit.

Ukala, further informed the court that the defendants served him fresh processes while he was in court and that he would have to respond to the processes served on him.

He also submitted that counsels in the matter agreed that the preliminary objection and counter affidavit as well as the substantive suit be heard together on April 28th, 2023.

After listening to the submissions of counsels in the matter, the presiding judge, Justice Wilfred Kpochi adjourned the matter to April 28,2023 for hearing of the substantive suit.

He also informed parties in the matter that he would be returning the case file to the Chief Judge of Benue State to reassign to another judge as he was embarking on a national assignment at the elections petitions tribunal.