The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has restrained Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from appointing or nominating any person to replace Umar Damagum as its acting national chairman, pending the determination of a suit brought before it by two chieftains of the party.
The court in a ruling delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, made the order on the strength of “an affidavit of extreme urgency” that was filed by the plaintiffs.
The suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/579/2024, was brought before the court by Senator Umar Maina and Alhaji Zanna Gaddama.
Cited as 1st to 5th defendants in the matter, are the PDP, its National Working Committee, NWC, National Executive Committee, NEC, Board of Trustees, BOT, as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Aside from the Originating Summons, the plaintiffs, in a motion ex-parte filed before the court, sought an interim order to retain Damagum in his position as the acting national chairman of the party until their substantive suit is heard and determined.
After he had listened to the plaintiffs’ team of lawyers led by Mr. M. O. Onyilokwu, Justice Lifu, granted the prayers.
Specifically, the court held that: “The Defendants/Respondents are hereby restrained in the interim, from appointing, selecting, nominating any person to replace Amb. Umar llliya Damagum as National Chairman or Acting National Chairman of the the 1st Defendant/Respondent, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed which is herein fixed against the 14th of May, 2024.”
