By Yusuf Boluwatife
A High Court sitting in Rivers State has restrained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Uche Secondus, from parading or acting as head of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
The court, preceded over by Justice Okogbule Gbasam of the Degema Division of the Rivers State High Court, granted an interim order brought before it against Secondus by aggrieved members of the party.
The development followed a suit No: PHC/2183/CS/2021 filed by Ibeawuchi Ernest Alex, Dennis Nna Amadi, Emmanuel Stephen and Umezirike Onucha against Uche Secondus (1st defendant) and the PDP (2nd defendant).
The judge, after reading the affidavit in support of the motion of ex parte as well as the written address, and after hearing the submission of H.A. Bello, Counsel to the Applicants, granted the interim injunction barring Secondus from parading as the National Chairman, PDP.
The order read: “An order restraining the 1st Defendant from parading himself as member of the 2nd Defendant or the National Chairman of the Defendant or performing the functions of national chairman of the 2nd defendant or calling, attending or presiding over any meeting of the 2nd defendant or any committee of the 2nd defendant at the Ward, Local Government or State level or calling for any Ward, Local Government or State Congress of the 2nd defendant or setting up committees for such Congresses or participating in any activity of the 2nd defendant whatsoever whilst on suspension as a member of the 2nd defendant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.”
The judge further granted leave to serve, by substituted, means the originating summons, motion on notice, all orders made by the court and all subsequent processes on the respondent by pasting same on his gate at No.1 William Jumbo Street, Old G.R.A Port Harcourt.
The judge also granted leave to serve by substituted means orders made by the court on the respondents by publishing same in the Nation Newspaper.
Justice Gbasam’s ruling came days after the suspended chairman visited former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, as part of the efforts to reconcile factions within the party structures.
