COURT REINSTATES ONYEKACHI NWAEBONYI AS PDP CHAIRMAN IN EBONYI

Reporter : AMECHI ODO

A Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki has nullified the appointment of Elder Fred Udeogu led Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State and reinstated the sacked Chief Onyekachi Nwaebonyi led State Executive Committee.

Justice Aluko Akintayo gave the ruling following a petition brought by the Party’s State Legal Adviser, Mr. Nnachi Okoro, challenging the decision of the National Working Committee of the PDP to dissolve the State Executive Committee.

Justice Akintayo held that the dissolution of Chief Onyekachi Nwaebonyi led State Executive Committee of the Party in Ebonyi State was invalid, illegal, and a gross violation of the right of the plaintiff as enshrined in the constitution of the PDP and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He granted all the reliefs sought by Mr. Nnachi Okoro and declared that the National Working Committee of the PDP acted in brash.

In an interview, Mr. Okoro described the ruling as a victory for democracy.

The reinstated Chairman of the Party, Chief Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, said the victory was long awaited, noting that the Committee members did not commit any offence known to the constitution of the party.

However, Counsel to the embattled Elder Fred Udeogu led Caretaker Committee, Mazi Mike Igbo, said he would meet with his client to know the next line of action.

The embattled Acting Chairman of the Party, Mr. Fred Udeogu, rejected the ruling and expressed the hope that they would obtain a stay of execution to keep the judgment in abeyance pending the determination of an appeal on the substantive matter.

It can be recalled that the PDP National Working Committee led by its Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, had in November 2020 dissolved the State Executive Committee of the Party following the defection of Governor David Umahi to the All Progressives Congress (APC).