Court to rule on Ebonyi PDP leadership tussle January 20
Jacob Ogodo, Abakaliki
State High Court sitting in Abakaliki,Ebonyi State has slated Wednesday 20th of January 2021 to rule on the matter challenging the dissolution of the Ward, Local Government and State executives of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State by the National Leadership of the Party.
The ruling which was supposed to be delivered on Monday was abruptly adjourned by the presiding Judge, Justice Vincent Nwanchor, apparently to douse the tension created by the parties involved the matter.
Counsel to the PDP, Barr Mudi Erhenede told the court to stay further action on the matter since the Defendants were challenging the jurisdiction of the Court to entertain the case in the Appellate Court.
Erhenede, who is also the Legal Adviser to the Ebonyi State PDP Caretaker Committee, contended that for the interest of Justice and fairness, it was proper for the lower Court to stay action on the matter pending the determination of the appeal.
But Counsel to the Plaintiffs, Arthur Obi SAN said it was a settled law that a ruling of the court could not be arrested for whatsoever reason, except on the ground of abuse of court processes, adding that the ground canvassed by the defendants to arrest the proposed ruling was not tenable in law.
Meanwhile, the PDP legal Adviser, Mr Erhenede has accused Barrister Roy Umahi of threatening his life during the court session.
Erhenede alleged that Barr Umahi accused him of being a cultist and even attempted to slap him inside the court.
But Barrister Umahi who is an elder brother to Ebonyi State Governor, denied threatening the life of Erhenede.
He however, frowned at the what he termed act of thuggery and rascality allegedly displayed by Erhenede in the court, noting that judges should stop tolerating such characters in the court.
Recall that the national leadership of the PDP had dissolved the Ebonyi state Ward, Local Government and state executives of the PDP and set up Caretaker Committee, following the defection of Governor David Umahi to the APC last year.
But the dissolved executives are challenging their dissolution in the Court.
