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

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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.

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Rivers

Timi Frank Urges Rivers People to Back Governor Fubara Amid LG Elections

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Siminalayi Fubara

***Warns IGP Egbetokun Against Inciting Chaos

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has called on the people of Rivers State to rally behind Governor Siminilaye Fubara to ensure a peaceful and transparent local government election. In a statement released in Abuja on Friday, Frank also issued a stern warning to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, urging him not to allow the police force to become a tool for causing unrest in Rivers.

Frank accused the police of partisanship and urged the international community to hold IGP Egbetokun responsible for any violence or damage that might arise during the election process.
He expressed concern over what he described as “illegal instructions” being given to the police, allegedly orchestrated by former Rivers State Governor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

Frank claimed that Wike, who is reportedly using his influence in collaboration with federal authorities, is attempting to derail the election to impose his political allies. He warned that Wike’s alleged plot to disrupt the democratic process is backed by claims that he has the President’s full support to act with impunity in Rivers State.

“The President’s silence on this matter suggests complicity,” Frank said, adding that any breakdown in law and order during the election would be traced back to the actions of the federal government and its agents in the state.

Frank also urged Governor Fubara to assert his authority and ensure that Rivers State does not fall into chaos, as the people of the state have fully backed him. He stressed the importance of maintaining a free and fair election, free from intimidation or interference by external forces.

He further criticized the police for prioritizing Wike’s political interests over the security and wellbeing of Rivers citizens. Frank warned that any conflict in the state could have far-reaching effects on the national economy, given the state’s key role in Nigeria’s oil production.

As a ULMWP Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, Timi Frank also called on global leaders and organizations to monitor the situation closely to prevent Rivers State from descending into chaos.

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27 Pro-Wike Lawmakers win big, as Abuja Court dismisses case against them

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The Federal High Court in Abuja has thrown out a suit seeking to replace 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who are aligned with Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Action People’s Party (APP) had filed the suit, accusing the lawmakers of defecting from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Delivering the judgment, Justice Peter Lifu dismissed the case on several grounds. First, he ruled that the suit was statute-barred, noting that it was filed eight months after the alleged defection took place in December of the previous year, far beyond the 14-day window allowed by law.

Furthermore, Justice Lifu declared that the suit was a clear abuse of court process, highlighting that similar cases involving the same lawmakers had already been resolved by the Federal High Court. He referenced a prior judgment by Justice James Omotosho, delivered in July, which barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from declaring the seats of the lawmakers vacant or conducting fresh elections to replace them.

Justice Lifu emphasized that since the previous ruling had neither been appealed nor overturned, it remains binding. He noted that revisiting the case would be akin to “judicial rascality,” as it would involve acting as an appellate court over a decision from the same court.

On these grounds, the court dismissed the suit, marking a legal victory for the 27 lawmakers and reaffirming the previous court’s decision.

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Why PDP must Expel Nyesom Wike now, by Chief Edwin Clark

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Chief Edwin Clark,

In an open letter to the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, Chief Edwin Clark has accused Nyesom Wike of anti-party activities and urged his expulsion from the party.

Clark, a leader of the Ijaw nation, alleged that Damagun is colluding with the Minister of FCT and former Governor of Rivers State to destroy the PDP.
He criticized Damagum for not taking action against Wike, despite his open defiance of the party.

The letter, titled “Whither Peoples Democratic Party (PDP): To be or not to be,” accused Wike of insulting party leaders, including Senator Adolphus Wabara, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Clark called for a probe panel to investigate Wike’s activities and recommended his expulsion.

He also criticized Wike for pretending to support President Tinubu while secretly working against him, and accused him of having no standards, being ungrateful, and abusing those who helped him.

Clark questioned Wike’s claim to own PDP structures in Rivers State, citing the history of the party’s leadership in the state. He alleged that Wike is using bribery and intimidation to control the party and disrupt the governorship position in Rivers State.

The elder statesman called for Wike to leave the PDP, citing his destructive behavior and lack of discipline. He also mentioned his meeting with Major General Oyilola, the new chairman of the reconciliation committee, and questioned who Wike is being reconciled with, suggesting that Wike’s actions are causing problems within the party.

The letter reads, in part,
“As Acting National Chairman of your party, you took your party’ s NWC to court on the defection of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, that because they did leave the PDP properly, they are still members of the party, even after the 27 members had publicly declared that they have defected, and had already been received by the APC.

“Your position Mr. Acting National Chairman is antithetical to the position of Section 109. You took your party’ s NEC to court, an organ you preside over.
“Yet you still have the presence of mind to remain in office, earning benefits that come with the office.
“From all indications, you are conniving with detractors of PDP to ruin the party, for the All Progressives’ Congress (APC). Allow Nigerians to decide what party they want through the ballot box.
“Stop colluding with Barr. Nyesom Wike to destroy the party. A day of reckoning will come for all of man’ s activities.
I wish and pray that you will not sell your soul and conscience for pecuniary and worldly gains, otherwise you, Barr Wike and your cohorts, will be consumed by the Rivers State crisis.
“Therefore, let me state again, set up a probe panel to investigate the obvious and open antiparty activities of Barr. Nyesom Wike and for insulting the foremost leader of the party, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Chairman, Board of the Trustees of the party, which is the soul of the party.
“In fact, he should be expelled from the party for his crime against the party.
“I also wish to use this medium to call on all responsible and reasonable PDP party elders and members to take a bold step to flush out Barrister Wike from the party.
“He is not above the party. He should be expelled from it.
Just last night, I watched the news when some persons claiming to speak in the interest of the PDP, in a press conference, were berating Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, a young man who today, is the only person who is openly speaking against the activities of Barr. Wike which are against the party.
“This group claim that Hon. Ugochinyere is working for the APC. If I may ask these young men, between Hon. Ugochinyere and Barr. Wike who is working for the APC, who is playing antiparty activities?
“I pray that these young men will search their conscience because everybody knows that Barr. Wike’ s madness in politics has
made him dance naked in the public, with one leg in the APC and the other in the PDP, with all the intention to bring down Siminilayi Fubara’s government, Nyesom Wike has to go, if PDP must survive. This is my humble submission.”
He took a swipe at Wike for pretending to support President Tinubu while secretly working against him.
Clark accused Wike of having no standards, being ungrateful, and abusing those who helped him, including former Governor Peter Odili.
He questioned Wike’s claim to own PDP structures in Rivers State, citing the history of the party’s leadership in the state.
The elderstatesman alleged that Wike is using bribery and intimidation to control the party and disrupt the governorship position in Rivers State.
He also condemned Wike’s use of the police to supervise illegality and protect his interests.
He called for Wike to leave the PDP for the party to survive, citing his destructive behavior and lack of discipline.
Clark mentioned his meeting with Major General Oyilola, the new chairman of the reconciliation committee, and questioned who Wike is being reconciled with, suggesting that Wike’s actions are causing problems within the party.

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