Court bars PDP from dissolving Pro-Wike Executive Committees in Rivers State

The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order preventing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors, National Working Committee (NWC), and Board of Trustees (BoT) from dissolving the party’s executive committees in Rivers State, which are aligned with Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.

Justice Peter Lifu, in a ruling on an ex-parte application, restrained the PDP from tampering with or replacing the state, local government, and ward leadership of the party in Rivers. This decision follows a case brought by Aaron Chukwuemeka, Oye Fubara Igenewari, and ThankGod Bekee, representing the state, local government, and ward executive committees.

The court also prohibited the party from forming interim committees to take over the functions of the existing leadership, who were elected in congresses held earlier this year. The judge further instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognize any other leadership apart from the duly elected officials.

The plaintiffs argued that the PDP governors and other officials were making clandestine efforts to dissolve their committees and replace them with interim bodies. Justice Lifu has scheduled the hearing for October 4, 2024, and ordered the plaintiffs to provide indemnity in case the restraining orders are later found to be unjustified.