A high court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, on Wednesday, ruled in favour of the National Working Committee of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP over the dissolution of the Ebonyi Executive Committee of the party led by Barr Onyekachi Nwaebonyi.
9news Nigeria recalls that the litigation challenging the caretaker committee nomination by the PDP National Secretariat was initiated by the dissolved former chairman of the party, Barr Onyekachi Nwaebonyi.
Recall that the presiding judge, Justice Vincent Nwanchor handling the case of People’s Democratic Party in Abakaliki High Court, suit NO. HAB /161/2020, on Monday, adjourned the matter till today, 20th January .
During the sitting, Justice Nwanchor washed his hands off the case after Barrister Mudi Erhenede who is the 8th defendant in the case, raised a matter of fact, that the presiding Judge and the Deputy governor of Ebonyi state were brothers from the same local government and the same community.
After listening to the submissions of the counsels from both parties, the judge withdrew himself from the matter.
He said, “after much argument I agree with the fact that the defense counsel is right, I will not deny the fact that His Excellency, the Deputy governor of Ebonyi state, Barr. Kelechi Igwe is my brother, we come from the same community, and that it will affect ruling of the case which it has not, I therefore wish to recuse the case from the registrar”.
“I hereby throw in the towel as i shall hand over the case file to the State’s chief judge”.
Addressing journalists shortly after the court sitting in Abakaliki, the counsel to Fred Udeogu’s led PDP caretaker committee commended the judge for doing the right thing.
“The court has done the right thing which what it is supposed to do”.
“It is not true the fact is that all the defense causes we have gone through were all genuine that’s why we have being getting there right from the Chief Judge down to this”
“It’s very unfortunate today is the second day we expecting the ruling of the court but the defendants in there usual way continue to truncate the proceedings of the court in this matter, I have again raised anither issue if bia on the side if the court which is apparently unfounded but the court for the interest have just recused herself from continuing hearing the matter and has accordingly transferred the matter and I believe that the court in no time will resign the case to another court.”
“I want to put the record straight, that this is a delay tactic by the defendants knowing fully well that the law is not on their side”.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Barristèr Roy Nweze while reacting to the development said the state High court lack bold judge.
According to him “the problem we have in the judiciary is that we lack bold judges, what we have are judges who are so easily giving in to unnecessary, stupid intimidation. But nothing has gone wrong absolutely nothing, there is a suit that has been filed so definitely the suit must be hard. If the suit portends danger, the danger must be heard. “
“There is nothing we will do now, if election will be taken place in the state now we will know the true PDP”.
