Court sacks Pro-Wike PDP chairman, others

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sacked the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Hon. Chukwuemeka Aaron and other executives of the party.

The court, presided over by Justice Stephen Jumbo, also nullified the ward, local government, and state congresses of the PDP held in the state in July 2024.

The court’s decision followed a dispute over the legitimacy of the PDP congresses, which were conducted by a faction of the party loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.

The congresses had been marred by controversy, with some members of the party challenging their validity.

Allies of the state governor Siminalayi Fubara, who is at odds with Wike, were allegedly excluded from the congresses.

In July 2024, a State High Court presided over by Justice Charles Wali had stopped the PDP from going ahead with the ward, local government, and state congresses.

However, the party at the national level ignored the court’s ruling and gave the approval for the congresses to proceed.

The latest development comes less than a month after another High Court nullified the ward, local government, and state congresses of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, which produced Chief Tony Okocha as State Chairman.