Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday stopped the August 17 convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding in Port Harcourt as planned by the Ahmed Makarfi faction.
This court also directed the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to ensure the convention does not hold. He also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to monitor the convention.
“Failure to comply with the order of the court will attract disciplinary action,” the Judge said.
“The mighty will not escape just punishment. Whoever goes against the decision of this court will have themselves to blame.”
While delivering his judgment Justice Abang, said, “An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby made restraining the defendants, any of them, their servant agents from conducting the national convention of PDP and supervising and monitoring same under any guise or electing any national officer of the defendant pending the determination of the substantive suit.
“An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby made restraining PDP from presenting anybody and sponsoring any person for election and holding any national convention or conference in the purpose of electing any national officers of the second defendants.
“An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby made restraining INEC from monitoring the national convention of PDP scheduled for Port Harcourt on 17th August.”
He blamed the Port Harcourt division of the Federal High Court for the conflicting orders that had so far been issued by him and from Port Harcourt.
Justice Abang said the Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta, having first assigned the case relating to PDP convention to him as far back as July 4, the Port Harcourt division ought to have drawn the CJ’s attention to the case later filed with respect to the same subject matter.
Dolapo is a writer and journalist who works with YNaija. He has interests in Christianity, politics and sports.
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