Posted by By VAL OKARA, Owerri on
The political crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Imo State has deepened as Owerri High court presided over by Justice C.I. Durueke Wednesday restrained the party from holding its ward, local government and state congresses.
The political crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Imo State has deepened as Owerri High court presided over by Justice C.I. Durueke Wednesday restrained the party from holding its ward, local government and state congresses.
Four members of the party, messers M. Adikaesieme, Ubani B. Ubani, Nze Law Dike and Anthony Mbaegbu through their counsel M.C.O.C Akaolisa had gone to court seeking an injunction to stop the state chairman of the party Prince Marcellinus Nlemigbo from contesting the chairmanship seat of the party.
The plaintiffs wanted the court to interpret the party's constitution with regards to the zoning system, arguing that since zoning system applied at the national level there was no reason that such practice should be discarded at the state level.
In his ruling, Justice Durueke restrained the party's state chairman , Prince Nlemigbo from offering himself for election in the said office or in any manner campaigning or seeking votes as well as parading himself as the candidate / aspirant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The defendants were restrained from organizing, conducting or supervising the conduct of any ward, local government and state congress of the party in the state.
The court further ordered that the plaintiffs should enter into an undertaking to pay the defendants the sum of N5,000,000.00 (five million Naira) damages if the application turned out to be frivolous.
The state commissioner of police, Mr. Donald Iroham had earlier cancelled the planned party's rally scheduled on Thursday (February 22, 2008) arguing that no permission to hold such political rally has been granted to the party by the police. He therefore reminded them (party) that a ban on public procession without police permit was still in force.
When Saturday Sun contacted the State Chairman of the Party, Prince Nlemigbo said that he had not been served with any court order restraining them from conducting the congresses but admitted that he had heard about it.