A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ordered the police, Department of State Security (DSS) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to interfere with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention coming up in Port Harcourt on August 17.
The presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Watila, ordered the police and the DSS to provide security for the PDP during the convention ruling on an ex-parte motion.
The motion was brought before the court by Senator Ben Obi (plaintiff) on behalf of the National Convention Planning Committee of the PDP against the Inspector General of Police, State Commissioner of Police, the DSS, the state Director of the DSS and INEC (as defendants).
He also ordered the INEC to monitor the election as required by law.
The motion was filed by Wori N. Wori on behalf of Senator Obi relying on a 34-paragragh affidavit sworn to by Felix Obuah.
“The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants are hereby restrained in any manner howsoever from interfering with the conduct of the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, the 17th day of August 2016 or any other date and venue pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice or the originating summons as the honourable court may decide,” Watila ordered.
He also ruled: “The 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants are hereby mandated to provide security for the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, August 17, 2016 or any other date and venue pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice or the originating summons as the honourable court may decide.
“The 5th defendant (INEC) is mandated to monitor the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt on Wednesday August 17, 2016 or any other date and venue pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice or the originating summons as the honourable court may decide.”
The court also ordered that the police, DSS and INEC be served by substituted means through their respective offices in Port Harcourt.
It also ordered accelerated hearing on the motion on notice and fixed Friday, August 12 for hearing on the motion on notice.
The ex parte motion came just as the state chapters of the PDP have called on their members to continue to be united and ensure the successful conduct of the convention in Rivers State.
Meanwhile, Edo State PDP’s hassles were laid to rest yesterday in Benin City when INEC named Mr. Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the right candidate of the party.
INEC had released the final list of candidates for the Edo governorship election, featuring Mr. Ize-Iyamu as the candidate of the PDP.
A faction of the main opposition party led by its ousted national chairman Senator Ali Modu Sheriff had, prior to that, held another primary.
That was shortly after the PDP primary had elected Ize-Iyamu as the candidate of the party to contest the poll in Edo State.
Following the primary, Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen emerged as the factional candidate.
This led to uncertainty over Ize-Iyamu’s candidacy which was finally laid to rest yesterday by INEC.
Also, chairmen of the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapters of the PDP called on members to unite ahead of 2019 elections.
The acting chairman of 36 state chapters of the PDP, Alhaji Yahaya Suleiman, made this call in Port Harcourt yesterday.
He made the call when he led his members on a condolence visit to Rivers State chairman of the party, Felix Obuah, over the loss of his father, Mr. Bathuel Obuah.
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