PDP Dismisses Purported Suspension of Sekibo, Opara

•Court stops party from suspending Rivers gov-elect, Fubara, others

Chuks Okocha and Alex Enumah in Abuja

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed  the purported suspension of Senator George Thompson Sekibo and Hon. Austin Adiele Opara from the Party, purportedly by the Ward Executives of Ward 2 of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area and Ward 10 of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of Rivers State, respectively.

This is as Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja, has stopped the PDP from suspending the Rivers State Governor-elect, Siminlalayi Fubara, and his deputy, Ngozi Odu,from the party over alleged anti-party activities.

But the NWC, in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said, “After a thorough consideration of the petitions by Senator Sekibo and Rt. Hon. Austin Opara dated April 17, 2023 against the purported suspension, hereby declares the action by the said Ward Executives which borders on issues of discipline, as null and void and of no effect, not being consistent with the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (As amended in 2017).

“For clarity, Section 57 (7) provides that ‘Notwithstanding any other provision relating to discipline, no Executive Committee, at any level except the National Executive Committee, shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, Deputy Governor or member of the National Assembly’.

“The NWC, therefore, charges all leaders, critical stakeholders, members, teeming supporters of our Party in Rivers State and the general public to disregard the purported suspension of Senator Dr. George Thompson Sekibo and Rt. Hon. Dr. Austin Adiele Opara.”

The NWC enjoined all party members in the state to remain united and continue to work together in the overall interest of the party and the Nation.

It said it was steadily progressing in the reconciliation efforts among all members of the party across the country and was encouraged by the success so far achieved.

Meanwhile, Justice Ekwo, in a judgment in two separate suits filed against the PDP, held that due process of law must be followed by any organisation set up by law while dealing with issues relating to law.

Besides, the court held that the fears of the plaintiffs and other members of the PDP were well-founded, but that suspending or expelling them would amount to the breach of their rights to freedom of association.

Ekwo stated that, it was in the power of the court to grant redress to persons, who have well established acts that would amount to the infringement of their rights.

He said members of political parties could not be suspended arbitrarily without compliance with the political party’s guidelines and held that, “The applicants have established that the respondents will likely tamper with their rights” adding that the case of the applicants succeeded on merit.

Fubara’s counsel, Joshua Musa, SAN, and Johnson Usman, SAN, who represented the PDP and its executives, had, last month adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against the suit.

The Cross River PDP governorship candidate, Sandy Onor, and his running mate, Ambrose Emana, also filed a suit against the party and its executives over their alleged planned suspension from the party.

Also, yesterday, the court granted the motion moved by Mr Musa, seeking an order to amend their suit in another suit filed by the Rivers PDP Chairman, Desmond Akawo, against the party, its National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which was earlier opposed by Mr Usman.

Messrs Fubara, Onor, Akawo and others had filed three separate suits against the PDP and others.

In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/123/2023, which was filed by Messrs Fubara, Odu, and 48 others, the plaintiffs listed PDP, its National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.

Also joined in the suit are the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu; National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 4th to 6th respondents respectively.

The plaintiffs sought an order of injunction restraining the 1st to 5th defendants from suspending, expelling or in any manner doing any act that would tamper with their fundamental rights.

They also sought an order of injunction restraining INEC from according any recognition to any suspension or expulsion or any other act(s) of the 1st to 5th respondents designed to violate their fundamental rights.

They prayed the court to declare that the threat to suspend, expel or tamper with their rights as members of PDP and its candidates at the general elections on account of the disagreement between the party’s national executives and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State where they hail from amounted to a denial of their rights.