The Rivers State High Court has nullified the congresses conducted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state in 2024.
The court also issued a restraining order against the state executive committee of the PDP, barring them from overseeing the party’s affairs.
Additionally, Aaron Chukwuemeka was prohibited from presenting himself as the party’s chairman.
The ruling came after an interlocutory injunction was filed by Edwin Woko, Love Otuonye, and two other PDP members.
The petitioners sought the court’s intervention, arguing that the congresses, held in August 2024 across 319 wards and 23 local government areas, were conducted in violation of a prior court order issued in July 2024.
This order had restrained the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from holding the congresses.
The petitioners argued that the congresses were conducted with the support of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and were deemed invalid due to this disregard for the court’s ruling.
The court upheld the petitioners’ request, nullifying the congresses and barring Chukwuemeka and other members of the state executive from acting as the party’s officials in Rivers State.
The court also recognized the petitioners as the authentic members of the PDP’s state executive committee.
This ruling is expected to have significant implications for the PDP’s leadership structure in Rivers State, with the national leadership urged to officially recognize the petitioners as the legitimate executives.