Embattled National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, on Friday lost the bid to upturn his suspension as chairman of Nigeria’s main opposition party.
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt in its ruling upheld the suspension of Secondus.
The court in Port Harcourt on Friday ordered a perpetual injunction restraining Secondus from parading himself as the national chairman of PDP.
Justice O. Gbasam maintained in Suit No: PHC/2183/CS/2021 between Ibeawuchi Ernest Alex, Dennis Nna Amadi, Emmanuel Stephen Umezirike Onucha (as claimants) and Prince Uche Secondus and People’s Democratic Party (defendants), that the suspension of the embattled chairman subsists.
Justice Gbasam also uphold the prayers of the aggrieved PDP members to retrain, suspend, Uche Secondus from attending, conveying PDP meetings in his capacity as National chairman or member of the party.
Gbasam said it has been noticed that parties (counsels), who have bad cases and could not prove their cases have always used the issue of fair hearing to disturb the court, noting that Secondus was suspended by his ward in Ikuru Town, in Andoni Local Government Area, for anti-party activities.
He explained that by the virtue Secondus suspension, the first defendant has lost the right to function as national chairman of the party and any function carried out by him under suspension is invalid.
The court held: “I hereby hold that the court has jurisdiction to hear the suit. I hold, therefore, that his suspension and having been acknowledged by the party in the state, is valid. He shall not so act as national chairman. His suspension still subsists.”
Counsel to Uche Secondus expressed dissatisfaction against the ruling, noting that his client will appeal the judgement.
