A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on Monday granted the breakaway faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, seven governors, Alhaji Kawu Baraje and others leave to sue the Dr. Bamanga Tukur-led faction of the party.
The plaintiffs in the case are Alhaji Abdullahi Kawu Baraje, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and the PDP.
They are asking the court to restrain the defendants in the suit – Tukur, Prince Uche Secondus, Mrs. Kema Chikwe, Olisah Metuh and others – from parading themselves as the members of the National Executive of the People’s Democratic Party.
While Tukur is the Chairman of his own faction, Secondus is the Deputy Chairman; Chikwe is the Woman Leader and Metuh is the Publicity Secretary.
The court presided over by Justice Ganiyu Safari granted the plaintiffs leave to serve the defendants in their various locations which are outside the court’s jurisdiction.
But the court refused to hear the plaintiffs’ argument on the determination of which of the factions is legally entitled to be members of the National Executive Council of the party.
Justice Safari ordered that status quo be maintained and ordered the plaintiffs to convert the exparte motion to a motion on notice, which the court ruled, must be served on other parties before further proceedings in the matter were adjourned till September 9.
