The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an injunction, halting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from removing or selecting a replacement for Umar Damagum as its Acting National Chairman until a lawsuit brought by two party chieftains is resolved.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the ruling based on an urgent affidavit submitted by the plaintiffs, Senator Umar Maina and Alhaji Zanna Gaddama.
The lawsuit, identified as FHC/ABJ/CS/579/2024, names the PDP, its National Working Committee (NWC), National Executive Committee (NEC), Board of Trustees (BOT), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an injunction, preventing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from removing or selecting a replacement for Umar Damagum as its Acting National Chairman until a lawsuit brought by two party chieftains is resolved.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the ruling based on an urgent affidavit submitted by the plaintiffs, Senator Umar Maina and Alhaji Zanna Gaddama.
The lawsuit, identified as FHC/ABJ/CS/579/2024, names the PDP, its National Working Committee (NWC), National Executive Committee (NEC), Board of Trustees (BOT), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.
In addition to the originating summons, the plaintiffs requested an interim order to keep Damagum in his role as Acting National Chairman until their case is heard. Following arguments from the plaintiffs’ legal team, led by Mr. M. O. Onyilokwu, Justice Lifu granted the requests.
The court held that the defendants are restrained from appointing, selecting, or nominating any person to replace Umar Illiya Damagum as National Chairman or Acting National Chairman of the party until the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed.
Furthermore, the defendants are restrained from according recognition to any person other than Damagum as Acting National Chairman or giving effect to any document purportedly signed by the National Chairman or Acting National Chairman without the name and signature of Damagum.
The applicants are ordered to enter into a fresh undertaking to pay damages to the respondents if it is discovered at the end of the day that the order ought not to have been granted. The return date for the hearing of the motion on notice is fixed for May 14, 2024.
This injunction comes amid calls from some House of Representatives members and party members from the North-central zone for Damagum’s resignation or removal. However, the National Caucus of the PDP decided to prolong Damagum’s term as the Acting National Chairman, supported by the NWC of the party.