BY GODWIN OBI
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crisis appears to be far from being resolved, as a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt Rivers State Monday granted an interim order restraining the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Uche Secondus from parading himself as the party’s National Chairman.
In a suit presided over by Justice O. Gbasam of the Degema Judicial Division of Port Harcourt.
The judge barred Secondus from presiding over the local and ward congresses pending the determination of the motion on notice
Mr Uche Secondus has however reacted to the court order restraining him from acting as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“If Secondus and the party are taken to court, they will defend themselves,” Secondus’ media aide, Ike Abonyi, said in a statement on Monday.
“PDP and Secondus are not afraid of court; this party is a child of history, owned by Nigerians, bigger than any individual or group, including desperadoes.”
Abonyi, however, claimed that the story of the restraining order originated through the special assistant on media to the Rivers State Governor.
Justice Gbasam made the order while ruling on a motion ex parte marked PHC/2183/CS/2021 and filed by four persons – Ibeawuchi Alex, Dennis Amadi, Emmanuel Stephen, and Umeziriki Onucha.
Secondus and the main opposition party were listed as the first and second respondents to the suit.
Amid calls for the resignation of the PDP national chairman, seven national officers of the party resigned from their roles on August 3.
The affected officers claimed that they were being side-lined and treated unfairly by Secondus, but the PDP national chairman denied the allegation.
Two days later, members of the PDP Board of Trustees held an emergency meeting to resolve the crisis in the party.
Barely a few weeks to the meeting of the party leaders, the controversy took a new twist with the court order restraining Secondus from parading as the PDP national chairman, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
Justice Gbasam also made an order restraining the PDP national chairman from parading as a member of the party, or other related functions.
He also granted the request to serve by substituted means all orders made by the court on the respondents and by publishing same in a newspaper.
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