Court Restrains PDP From Suspending, Expelling Gov. Ortom
A High Court sitting in Benue State has issued a restraining order, preventing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), its National Executive Committee, National Central Committee or its National Officers – elected or appointed – from suspending the governor of Benue State, Mr . Samuel Ortom.
Presiding Justice A.I Itoyonyiman issued the order following a lawsuit that was filed in court.
In the complaint made available to journalists, Mr. Samuel Ortom was the Plaintiff, while the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC are the first and second Defendants.
TheFact Daily reports that After hearing the affidavit filed by Mr. Abraham Kwagngu of the governor’s office, the court restrained the PDP or its agents from expelling or removing Governor Ortom from office pending the decision on the motion.
“A temporary restraining order is also issued restraining the 2nd defendant/defendant either by himself or by any of his officers/employees/directors/departmental or other heads/any other officer from whatever name to receive and/or act upon a communication made by the 1st Defendant/Respondent seeking to disqualify from contesting or seeking not to place on the ballot the name of the Plaintiff/Appellant as a candidate of the 1st Defendant for the Senatorial District Benue North West in the 2023 general elections pending the determination of Motion for Temporary Prohibition Notice.
“An order of interim injunction is made restrianing the 2nd or Defendant/Defendant’s refusal to name the Defendant/Defendant for any reason whatsoever, whether by their own Officials/Officers/director/Department or other Heads/any other officer called by any name.
The Applicant is on the ballot to contest the Benue North West Senatorial election scheduled for February 25, 2023, or any other rescheduled date until the Injunction Notice Proposal is adjudicated.
Ortom previously approached the court with the following requests:
“Interim injunction order restraining the 1” accused/respondent either by himself or the National Working Committee and/or the National Executive Council and/or its National Officers (elected or appointed) and/or its North Central Zonal executive officers ( elected or appointed) and/or the officers of Benue State (elected or appointed) and/or the officers of the Nzorov Council ward (elected or appointed) or any of its other bodies or officers (however called) from expulsion, suspend or impose any other penalty on the Plaintiff/Applicant, pending the decision of the Motion for Notice of Insurance Order.
“An order of temporary restraining order restraining the 2nd defendant/defendant or himself or any of his officers/officers/directors/departments or other managers/any other officer by whatever name he may be called , to receive and/or act on any communication made by the 1st Defendant/Respondent seeking to be disqualified from contesting or seeking not to have the name of the Plaintiff/Applicant on the ballot paper as the candidate of the 1st Defendant for Benue Senatorial District North West at the 2023 general election, pending the determination of the proposal for a Notice of Interim Order.
“Temporary restraining order to prevent the defendant/second respondent either himself or his Officers/Officers/Directors/Departments or other Heads/any other officer by whatever name he may be called, refusing for any reason to put the name of the plaintiff /Applicant on the ballot, to contest the Benue North West Senatorial election, scheduled for the 25th of February, 2023 or any other rescheduled, pending the determination of the Motion for Notice of Interview Order”.
The matter has been scheduled for hearing on February 24, 2023.