In what political observers have described as a major set back for the Minister of Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike and his political allies in his power tussle with Governor Sim Fubara, a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sacked the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Hon. Chukwuemeka Aaron.
In a ruling on an interlocutory injunction delivered by presiding judge, Justice Stephen Jumbo, this Monday, the Court also nullified the ward, local government and state congresses of the PDP held in the State in July 2024.
The development is coming less than one month after another High Court nullified the ward, local government and state congresses of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, which produced Chief Tony Okocha as State Chairman.
The matter which was filed by two Port Harcourt based legal practitioners, Edwin Woko, Love Otuonye, and two others who are members of the PDP against the party’s National chairman, state chairman, and nine others prayed the court to declare null and void the purported PDP local government and ward congresses conducted the 319 wards and 23 LGAs by pro-Wike supporters on 27th of July, 10th August, and 31st August last year.
Recall, a State High Court presided over by Justice Charles Wali had on July 20, 2024, stopped the PDP from going ahead with the ward, local government and State congresses.
The applicants had contended that all the congresses were done in disobedience to an order of the Rivers State High Court issued on the 16th of July 2024 stopping the PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as well as their agents and privies from conducting congresses pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons already filed.
