A Kebbi state high court has ordered the return of Uche Secondus as national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Delivering ruling on Thursday, in a motion ex parte brought in a suit marked KB/AC/M.170/2021, Nusirat Umar, presiding judge, ordered that the execution of a previous order barring Secondus from parading himself as national chairman be suspended, pending when the suit is heard and concluded.
Umar gave an order of interim injunction “staying the purported suspension of the first respondent pending the determination of the substantive motion on notice No. KB/HC/M.170/2021 now pending before this honourable court”.
“An order of this honourable court granting leave to the first respondent (Uche Secondus) to continue exercising all the constitutional powers of the office of Chairman of PDP (second defendant ) as enshrined in both 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended and the Peoples Democratic Party’s constitution pending the hearing and final determination of applicant’s motion on notice,” the ruling reads.
Secondus has been under increased pressure of late, with demands for his resignation coming from various quarters.
On Monday, a high court in Rivers state granted an interim order restraining Uche Secondus from parading himself as the national chairman of the party.
Okogbule Gbasam, the presiding judge, gave the order while ruling on a motion ex parte marked PHC/2183/CS/2021, and filed by four persons – Ibeawuchi Alex, Dennis Amadi, Emmanuel Stephen, and Umeziriki Onucha.
Meanwhile, following the order, Yemi Akinwonmi, deputy national chairman (south) of the PDP, has been named as the acting chairman of the party.