More favourable turns smile to Gov Fubara in courts

…As another court in Abuja stops pro-Wike LGA bosses

…Pro-Wike PDP executives in Rivers uprooted by court

More court decisions seem to go in favour of Gov Sim Fubara of Rivers State in past one week, the most significant being the sack of the executives of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Another is the nail on the head of the quest by the former local council chairmen in the state who wanted an Abuja Federal High Court to reinstate them.

In the latest judgment at the Federal High Court in suit number FHC/ABJ/ CS/537/2024 where Chidi Lloyd of Emohua local council area with 42 others dragged the Inspector-General of Police and 12 others to court on behalf of the former local council bosses on the 23rd day of April 2024, the court ruled against the claimant.

Lloyd and his colleagues had sought legal order that they were still the rightful LGA bosses despite end of tenure on June 16, 2024, based on the purported extension of tenure granted them by a faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA).

The state government had conducted an election to replace them, and the challenge of the election was quashed at the Court of Appeal.

The case by Lloyd and others suffered a quash today, January 17, 2025, by the justice, James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja Division. The justice struck out the suit for want of locus standi. His Lordship was emphatic that Lloyd and his 20 colleagues ceased to be Local Government Council chairmen and thus have no rights whatsoever to protect.

PDP crisis deepens:

The turn of events in the Rivers State chapter of the PDP was marked by a huge crowd at the state secretariat today, January 17, 2025, along Aba Road near the Mile Park which stormed the secretariat.

This seemed to be in response of the court order that sacked the pro-Wike executives and replacement by the pro-Fubara executives. This is because a Rivers State High Court brought an end to the tenure of Chukwuemeka Aaron as chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the PDP. The court also declared null and void the positions of all purported LGA and Ward chairmen who emerged from the controversial congresses conducted by pro-Wike supporters in 2024.

Delivering the judgment, Stephen Jumbo ruled that the so-called ward, local government, and state congresses had no legal standing and were invalid from the onset.

This ruling marks another major setback for the opponents of Gov Fubara. It follows a similar judgment last year when Tony Okocha, Rivers APC chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was also sacked by the court, voiding his party’s congress.

The state executive committee that was eventually inaugurated was also sacked for want of locus.

Now, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has affirmed the new leadership of the party in Rivers State, following the court’s removal of the Aaron Chukwuemeka-led executive.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party formally recognised the Nname Robinson Ewor-led executive as the legitimate body to oversee the affairs of PDP in Rivers State.

This decision, Ologunagba said, aligns with the provisions of the party’s constitution, as amended in 2017.

The NWC praised the court’s ruling and urged party leaders, stakeholders, and members to cooperate with the Ewor-led executive to ensure unity, stability, and the continued success of PDP in Rivers State.

The NWC further tasked the Ewor-led leadership with fostering greater cohesion within the party, promoting growth, and strengthening PDP’s position in the state.

“The NWC calls on all leaders, critical stakeholders, members, and supporters of our Party in Rivers State and the nation to work with the Hon. Nname Robinson Ewor-led Rivers State Executive to ensure the unity, stability, growth, and continuous success of the PDP in Rivers State.

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“The NWC charges the Ewor-led Rivers State Executive to work hard to further unite the Party in the State so that the people of Rivers State can continue to enjoy the massive dividends of democracy as being delivered by our performing governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, in line with the manifesto and policy thrust of the PDP.

“The NWC commends all members of the PDP in Rivers State for their steadfastness and unshaken belief in the ideals of the Party as a truly democratic and all-inclusive Party, guided only by the collective will, yearning, and aspiration of the people.”

Now, Tambari Sydney Gbara, former State Publicity Secretary PDP Rivers State Chapter, has issued a statement saying under the leadership of Gov Fubara, they will continue to promote the values of democracy, fairness, and justice. “We will work tirelessly to ensure that the party’s internal processes are transparent, inclusive, and accountable to all members.

“This judgment is a crucial turning points in our journey towards rebuilding and strengthening the PDP in Rivers State. We are confident that it will pave the way for a more united and focused party, better equipped to serve the people of Rivers State.

“As we move forward, we want to emphasize that this judgment has illegalised those executives that emerged through this illegal process, which will give way for a proper congresses in the State, where everyone will be given the opportunity to participate actively as members of the party, not a situation where only one man who is bent on destroying the party, writes names of his supporters and publish as executives of the party at the detriment of other party faithful. Furthermore, we urge all security agents to arrest and prosecute anybody in the previous exco. who continues to parade him or herself as an executive of the party for impersonation, except those that will be elected in a proper party congress of PDP, where Rivers people will be given the opportunity to participate freely under due process.”