…As Ward Delegates Camp Makes Progress in Enugu High Court
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, dismissed a Motion for Joinder brought by some members of the Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, seeking to be joined in the suit (number FHC/ABJ//CS/816/2014) filed by Mr. Orji Chinenye Godwin, Chiefs Cletus C. Akalusi and Orji C. Orji on behalf of themselves and all Delegates elected on November 1, 2014 Ward Congress against the PDP, the National Chairman and the National Organising Secretary as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
This is even as an Enugu State High Court presided over by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Innocent Umezulike, on the same day granted a Motion for Joinder brought by Mr. Orji Chineye Godwin, Chiefs Cletus C. Akalusi and Orji C. Orji seeking to be joined in the suit (number E/446/2014) brought against the PDP by Mr. Charles Okafor of the Enugu State chapter of party.
Mr. Okafor is praying the court to declare that no ward congresses held in Enugu State on November 1, 2014. He is also asking the delegates said to have emerged on the date should not be used for the purpose of primaries or subsequent processes.
Loading ...The Court in Abuja presided over by Justice A.F.A Ademola, ruled that the applicants had noLocus Standi, as they were not necessary parties for the determination of the suit and therefore could not be joined in it.
The court also heard the main suit before adjourning it for judgment.
Chief Solo Akuma, SAN appeared for the plaintiffs, while Chief Mrs. AJ Offiah SAN appeared for the defendants in the suit.
It could be recalled that counsel to the national leadership of the PDP, Frederick C. Olisa, had on Tuesday confirmed that the party’s nationwide ward congresses to elect 3-man ad-hoc delegates validly held in Enugu State.
This was contained in an amended affidavit by the PDP counsel to override his earlier submission to the contrary in line with emerging facts.
Meanwhile, granting the Motion for Joinder by the trio of Mr. Orji Chinenye Godwin, Chiefs Cletus C. Akalusi and Orji C. Orji, the Enugu High Court presided over by Justice Umezulike held that there was nothing in the law to shut out the applicants from being heard in the matter.
Counsel to the applicants Chief Tagbo Ike with Chuma Oguejiofor and nine others, argued that the applicants were people to be affected if they were not joined in matter haven emerged in the ward congresses in Enugu State chapter of the PDP.
The court fixed Friday, November 21 for hearing of the substantive suit.
Mr. Sam Orji appeared for the plaintiff, Mr. Charles Okafor, while Mr. Emeka Etiaba represented the PDP.
