The Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice J. K..Omotosho, has granted an interim injunction, restraining the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from inaugurating a caretaker committee to oversee the party’s affairs in the South-South zone.
The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/447/2025, was filed by Alaboh George Turnah, representing himself as the PDP zonal secretary in the South-South, and on behalf of the zonal committee members.
The defendants in the case are Iliya Damagun, the PDP, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The plaintiff was represented by Praise Jirgba, while Ibrahim Idris (SAN), and I.P. Nwaogu, appeared for the applicant.
The plaintiff sought among others the court’s intervention to prevent the PDP’s national leadership, from interfering with the South-South zonal committee’s operations, particularly in view of the re-election of Chief Dan Orbih, as national vice chairman for the South-South, at the zonal congress held in Calabar.
The court’s order, specifically restrained the PDP, its agents, and privies from convening or recognizing any meeting aimed at setting aside the resolutions of the South-South zonal committee’s meetings held in Benin and Calabar.
Additionally, the court barred the defendants from taking any steps to undermine the motion on notice, filed by the plaintiff on March 6 and 7, 2025, seeking an interlocutory injunction.
Read also: PDP slams Governor Okpebholo over insecurity, revenue loss in fiery state address
Justice Omotosho further directed that the originating processes be served on the defendants through substituted means, either by posting at the PDP’s national office at Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, or by delivering them to any adult staff member at the same address.
The court emphasized the need to protect judicial proceedings, ordering the defendants to refrain from actions that could render the motion nugatory or worthless.
The judge thereafter, adjourned the case to March 18, 2025, for hearing of the motion on notice
Earlier on Monday, Debo Ologunagba, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, had in a statement, announced that the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) would formally inaugurate the South-South zonal caretaker committee on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 11 am at the NEC Hall, PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
According to Ologunagba, the caretaker committee assumed office on March 10, 2025.
But with the Federal High Court’s injunction, it remains to be seen if the PDP leadership will go ahead with the planned inauguration of the caretaker committee on Thursday.
