PDP LEGAL TEAM ACCUSES HEAD OF APPEAL DEPARTMENT EBONYI STATE HIGH COURT OF FRUSTRATING PARTY’S SUIT

Reporter : AMECHI ODO

A team of lawyers representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a suit filed by Chief Onyekachi Nwaebonyi and twenty others at Ebonyi State High Court challenging the party’s decision to dissolve its State Executive Committee has raised alarm against efforts to frustrate a preliminary appeal on the matter.

The dissolution of the State Executive Committee followed the defection of Governor David Umahi from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in November, 2020.

Speaking with journalists after a protest visit to the office of the Chief Judge and that of the Deputy Chief Registrar of Ebonyi State High Court to register their complaint, the leader of the team, Mr. Michael Igbo, noted that his client had made a preliminary appeal, which bothers on the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter since December 21, 2020.

He alleged that rather than process the record for transmission to Federal Appeal Court Enugu, the Head of Appeal Department in Ebonyi State High Court Abakaliki, Mr. Ogudu had not been forth coming with documents needed for his client to proceed with the matter at the Appeal Court.

Mr. Igbo further claimed that the action may create an opportunity for the plaintiff to secure unjustified interlocutory injunction at next adjourned date (which is on the January 18, 2021) against his client.

The Secretary of PDP Caretaker Committee in the state, Mr. Luke Nkwoegu, who was also at the Court over the matter described the development as travesty of justice, alleging that such manipulation could not be possible without the connivance of the authorities.

Efforts to get the reaction of Mr. Ogudu failed but when journalists visited the office of Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court, Mr. Enyinna Obo, at the instance of the legal team, he emphasised that efforts were on to resolve the matter.