20th October, 2012
An Adamawa High Court on Friday in Yola granted a motion ex parte restraining the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) from dissolving the State Executive Council of the party. The order was sequel to a motion filed by Alhaji Umaru Kugama and 28 others challenging the dissolution of the state council of the party by the NWC.
Kugama and his colleagues, who joined Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the National Chairman of the party and nine others as respondents, described the action of the NWC as “illegal.”
Counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr Ayo Akam, said his clients were duly elected for a term of four years beginning from March 17, 2012.
He said that the NWC dissolved the executive council of the party without giving its members fair hearing as required by section 36 (C) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Akam prayed the court to restrain the NWC from dissolving the state executive of the party and to maintain the status quo of the council pending the determination of the motion on notice on the issue.
Ruling on the motion exparte, Justice Umar Bobboi, said the applicants made a case and granted their prayers.
“The first and second respondents are hereby restrained from giving effects to the decision of the national working committee, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
The judge also restrained the caretaker committee members appointed by NWC from parading themselves as such pending the determination of the motion on notice.
He also ordered all the parties to maintain the status-quo pending the determination of the motion on notice.
The Judge ordered that all the court processes be served on the respondents together with the order of the court.
He adjoined the case to Oct.31 for hearing of the motion on notice.
The NWC of the PDP dissolved the Adamawa chapter of the party and constituted a caretaker committee to manage its affairs pending further directives. (NAN)