Lawmaker representing Eleme Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly Hon Igwe Aforji has described the new leadership of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as unshakeable having been elected on the principles of equity.
He dropped the hint while condemning , the decision of one Mr Osaro Nwakaji and 14 others to drag the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State to Court over the conduct of the Wed 18th of March 2020 ward congresses
Decrying the action,he wondered why such action was taken by Mr Osaro Nwakaji who is a non party man and knows nothing about the congress.
“Mr Osaro Nwakaji is my constituent, he is not a party man, but a staff of Intels in Warri. so I wonder why he should allow himself to be used against a well organized ward, Local Government and State Congresses,” he noted in dismay.
The lawmaker who advised aggrieved party members to desist from wasting their time and resources on litigations and join in moving the party forward further hailed the judiciary for always standing up to the task of delivering justice at all levels.
He further advised members of the party who may wish to use the judiciary as means to seek relevance or stall due process in future political activities of the party in the State to think twice before toeing such path adding that the PDP in the State has well articulated internal mechanism to handle personal concerns and matters arising from nominations as well as elections
It would be recalled that a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recently struck out a suit filed by some members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, challenging the conduct of ward congresses in the state.
Osaro Nwakaji and 14 other members of the ruling party in the state, had through their counsel, P. N. Ogbole SAN, dragged PDP before Justice Charles Agbadza, sitting at Jabi, Abuja, through an originating summon to challenge their exclusion from participating and vying for positions in the ward congresses of the party in the state,
The plaintiffs/claimants sought a declaration of the court that they are entitled to participate in the PDP ward congress and also a declaration that the refusal of the party to issue them nomination forms having paid the requisite fees is unconstitutional, null and void.
The claimants further sought a declaration that the purported PDP ward congresses held or to be held in the state to their exclusion, having paid the requisite fees for nomination forms is null, void and of no effect whatsoever.
They further sought a perpetual order of injunction restraining the party from conducting any wards, local government areas or state congresses or further congresses in the state based on the ward congresses election conducted in 2020 or any other date.
Delivering judgment on the matter Justice Agbadza upheld the preliminary objection of the defendant, claiming that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear and determine the matter.
According to him, it was settled that the issue of jurisdiction was the live wire of any judicial proceedings and once raised, the court must determine it once and for all.
The judge held that going by the reliefs sought by the claimants, the cause of action emanated from Rivers State, adding that by instituting the matter in the FCT High Court, the conduct of the claimants was forum shopping and amounts to an abuse of court process.
He stated that by the virtue of the recent Practice Direction issued by the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Ishaq Usman Bello, the case ought to be transferred to Rivers State, where it originated from since it was forum shopping.
He said the claims of the plaintiffs were matters of internal affair of PDP, adding, “What the claimants are asking the court is to dabble into an internal matter of a political party.”
