*Says application unripe for hearing

*Embattled chair wants INEC, AGF to stop relating with deputies, others

Citing a recent warning handed judicial officers by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Mohammad, over abuse of court processes, Justice Tijjani Ringim, of the Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, refused to entertain a suit by the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, which sought to restrain the party and its national officers from calling, summoning or presiding over any meeting except the one convened by himself, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Secondus, had also prayed the court to restrain them from calling meeting of any committee of the party, any congress of the party, the National Working Committee, the National Executive Committee, the National Convention except the one he called.

But, in ruling on the application, Justice Ringim, declined to entertain the suit on the ground that it was unripe for hearing and that the defendants were yet to respond to the motion.

Applicants in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1117/2021, included Honourable Eddy Olafeso, Alhaji Rashidi Olakunle Sunmonu, Honourable Daisi Akintan, Honourable Bunmi Jenyo and Honourable Wahab Owokoniran.

Those joined as respondents were Secondus, Elder Yomi Akinwonmi (PDP Deputy National Chairman, South), Senator Suleiman (PDP Deputy National Chairman, North), Senator Ibrahim Tsauri (National Secretary, PDP), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

At the resumed hearing of the matter, yesterday, counsel to the applicants, Chimezie Victor Ihekweazu (SAN), informed the court that his client’s Motion on Notice was for hearing and that all parties in the suit had been put on notice.

But a lawyer, Mr. Chucks Ugo, announced his appearance for the party and Senator Ibrahim Tsauri, the party’s national Secretary (first and fifth respondents) while Mr. Oladayo Ilori, also claimed to be representing all the defendants except Secondus (second defendant) in the suit.

Both Chucks and Oladayo informed the court that they all had the mandate of the respondents to represent them in the suit.

Justice Ringim, after taking arguments on the issue of representation, however, held that the two counsel were in disharmony and could not represent a client.

Consequently, Justice Ringim urged the parties to resolve the issue of legal representation.

He also held that since the applicants’ processes were served on the respondents on September 2, 2021, the respondents were still within time to file their responses, adding that the motion was unripe for hearing.

The judge cited the recent directive from the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad, on conflicting orders issued from the courts and urged the applicants to explain to the court if the present suit was not an abuse of court process.

The judge, therefore, directed that the suit would be returned to the admin Judge for reassignment, as there was no urgency in the affidavit filed by the applicants to warrant hearing it during vacation.

The applicants were seeking “an interlocutory order of injunction restraining the first, third, fourth and fifth defendants by themselves, their servants, agents, privies or any member of the defendant whatsoever, other than the 2nd defendant; from calling, summoning or presiding over any meeting of the party whatsoever including the meeting of any committee of the party, any congress of the party, the National Working Committee, the National Executive Committee, the National Convention and all other organs or bodies of the party pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

“An interlocutory order of injunction restraining the first, third, fourth and fifth defendants by themselves, their servants, agents, privies, associates or whosoever from stopping, disturbing or in any way interfering with the excise or the continues exercise by the 2nd Defendant (Secondus) of the powers, duties and functions of his office as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or from limiting or usurping his Powers, functions and duties as provided for under the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

“An interlocutory order directing the second defendant/Respondent to forthwith resume the exercise of all his Powers, Duties, function and privileges at the National Chairman of the first defendant as guaranteed him under the Constitution of the first defendant as amended in 2017 pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

“An interlocutory order of injunction restraining the first, third, fourth and fifth defendants/respondents by themselves, their servants, agents, privies, associates or whosoever during the tenure in office of the second defendant, from communicating, sending any correspondence or making any requests or establishing any manner of official contact whatsoever on behalf of the first defendant with the sixth and seventh defendants and all agencies or organs of the Federal Government under the supervision and control of the seventh defendant; other than through the 2nd Defendant or on his direction or authorization pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

“An interlocutory order of injunction restraining ‘the sixth and seventh defendants, and all agencies or organs of the Federal Government under the supervision and control of the seventh defendant, from receiving or maintaining any communication or request whatsoever from any organ or official of the first Defendant or acting on any such request other than from the second defendant or at his direction or authorization pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/09/10/citing-cjns-warning-court-rejects-secondus-new-suit/

I think the decision taken by this judge is the way to go to avoid confusion within the legal system where all sorts of conflicting judgements were made in recent times.

A case has to be decided by one court before an appeal is made on the same case.

Really

PDP is now scattered, Secondus and his political team will start working for the party destruction.

Good riddance.

Greedy Secondus should be arrested

brainpulse:
PDP is now scattered, Secondus and his political team will start working for the party destruction.

They didn't treat secondus well

Undies8:

They didn't treat secondus well

The worst he can do is to decamp to APC.

Seconded secondus, it's the taste of your medicine. Though I understand that they are seriously ganging up on Wike, that's why he's totally brutal.

Way forward

Secondus should let it rest and embrace the decision of the party organ

Better

I feel PDP should sort out this issue before electing new excos because I see this secondus guy winning at the court eventually, it might even be in a year time, and if the court maybe a year from now, eventually decide that secondus was unlawfully removed as PDP National chairman, that would mean that every newly elected exco of PDP would automatically be null and void, and this would put the party into a deep crises that would give APC the upper hand. I don't see this ending well for PDP

divinehand2003:
*Says application unripe for hearing

*Embattled chair wants INEC, AGF to stop relating with deputies, others


https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/09/10/citing-cjns-warning-court-rejects-secondus-new-suit/

Undies8:

They didn't treat secondus well

His own too is too much. Na by force to be chairman? Majority don't seem to want him can't he gentle and work for the party?

Most importantly, he has made the party a bad opposition. He should let them rebrand abeg

This one will always remain second best. Lol

This second hand party chairman won't respect himself.

Judiciary in the mud. The Judiciary has become a corruption bazaar where justice is ditched and the any one with illegal wealth or power can shop for judgements and pronouncements.


When Tanko's Supreme court ditched out judgement for Imo that defied every logical and legal reason, did they for once even consider that the lower courts will also go on a jamboree and spree of illogical judgements and pronouncements?.

I see secondus decamping to another party that i wont mention.i see him and his cronies working against the party.i see pdp in a big mess. This i have seen.

The Chief Justice they always refer to as Sharia judge is the one sanitizing the judiciary.

Look at how Amaechi is wrongly advising Secondus to be running from Northern to Southwestern courts to fight Rivers state people’s political interest. Has he forgotten that this same Amaechi that is fanning his ember has less knowledge of how the laws of the land works, hence his party have not fully participated in his state elections since after 2915? Secondus is already a goner with the inauguration of the PPD’s nation convention planning committee

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brainpulse:
PDP is now scattered, Secondus and his political team will start working for the party destruction.

Secondus has made a very big mistake, I think he should have learn from Oshemole, as an individual you can't fight a party and survive it. Oshemole understood the game and that is why he is still in APC now. With this court case against PDP which he will surely loose, it is finished for Secondus.

divinehand2003:
I think the decision taken by this judge is the way to go to avoid confusion within the legal system where all sorts of conflicting judgements were made in recent times.

A case has to be decided by one court before an appeal is made on the same case.

Ok

brainpulse:
PDP is now scattered, Secondus and his political team will start working for the party destruction.

There is nothing wrong with the Pdp, it just the political environment we are in.
Secondus has to go, to give birth to another region in the spirit of true fairness. Secondus should have understood this, instead of challenging the lay down game