22nd October, 2021
By Jethro Ibileke
Justice Joy Okeaya-Inneh of a Benin City High Court on Friday issued an interim injunction restraining embattled National Vice Chairman (South-South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih, the State Secretary of the party, Hilary Otsu and nine others from participating in the national convention of the party, scheduled to hold from 30 to 31 October, 2021 in Abuja.
Others restrained from participating in the convention by the court order in the suit marked B/218/os/2021, include the member representing Oredo Federal Constituency, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, Hon. Samuel Saiki, Vincent Ekpomhoriri Umoru, Leslie Ebozoje, David Okoh Aigbodion (also known as Arizona) and Abdulkareem Kassim.
Others are Kayode Ogunubi, Mr. Oduwa Igbinosun and Mr. Friday Enaruna and the PDP which was listed as the 12th Defendant.
Justice Okeaya-Inneh while ruling on the motion ex-parte filed by Chief Idehen Manfred Ekundayo, Mr. Stanley Iduoze and Odior Omadimhe, restrained 1st to 11th Defendants from attending, participating, or voting at the National Convention of the PDP, the 12th defendant in the suit.
The court also granted “an order of interim injunction, directing the 12th Defendant (PDP), its servants, officers, agents, or otherwise whosoever, to deny admittance to the 1st-11th Defendants at the National Convention of the 12th Defendant (PDP) scheduled for 30th and 31st October 2021 or any other day and ensure that the 1st-11th Defendants do not vote or participate in any shape or form at the National Convention of the 12th Defendants scheduled for 30th and 31st October 2021 or scheduled for any other date(s), pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice herein”.
According to the enrolment order of the court, Justice Okeaya-Inneh granted leave to the Claimants to serve the concurrent originating summons on the 12th Defendant, outside the jurisdiction of the court at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, namely at the National Headquarters of the 12th Defendant (PDP) being Plot 1970 Michael Okpara street, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.
The court also granted leave to the Claimants/Applicants to serve the originating summons and all other accompanying processes in the suit on the 1st-11th Defendants by substituted means, to wit, by Advertisement in a National Newspaper.
Justice Okeaya-Inneh cited the salient pressing issues raised in the processes before the court and ordered accelerated hearing of the Motion-On-Notice.
He further directed the Bailiff of the court to effect service as a matter of urgency of “all the processes in the suit on the 1st–11th Defendants and thereafter adjourned the hearing on the suit to November 2, 2021.