Suit seeking to compel PDP to hold NEC meeting adjourned till March 4

• Grants order of substituted service

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

The Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday, adjourned till March 4, the case seeking an order directing the Ogun State, People Democratic Party (PDP) leadership to hold the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) for the purpose of presenting the activities of the party from the date of the last NEC meeting held on September 8, 2022.
The suit filed by a former governorship candidate of the party, Otumba Segun Sowunmi, has the PDP, its National Chairman, Umar Illiya Damagun, National Secretary, Sen Samuel Anyanwu, National Organizing Secretary, Capt Umar Nature, National Auditor, Okechukwu Daniel, National treasurer, Hon. Ahmed Mohammed Yayari, Youth leader, Mohammed Suleimane Kadade and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st to 8th defendants.
At the resumed trial, Thursday, counsel to the plaintiff, Anderson Asemota told the court that he could not serve the 2nd to 7th defendants in the matter with the processes of the court because all efforts to serve them proved abortive, but had served the 1st and 8th defendants (the PDP and INEC) with the court processes.
He said, he has filed a motion seeking to serve the court processes on the 2nd to 7th defendants through substituted means.
The trial judge, Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon granted the plaintiff’s request for an order of substituted service of court processes on the 2nd to 7th defendants and adjourned the matter till March 21 for hearing.
Sowunmi is praying the court for an order, directing the 1st to 7th defendants to call a NEC meeting of the PDP for the purpose of presenting the proposed guidelines and regulations governing the conduct of elections to the party offices at all levels and procedures for selecting party candidates for elective offices to the members of the NEC.
He is also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 2nd to 8th defendants by themselves or their servants, agents or privies from functioning or continue to function or discharge the functions of their offices until they call for or cause to be called and held meeting of the PDP’s NEC in total fidelity and obeisance of the party’s constitution.
The plaintiff wants the court to declare that by virtue of the provisions of Article 31(2)(d), 4 and 5 of the PDP constitution (as amended in 2017), he, as spokesman of the party during the last election is obligated and/or entitled to file the suit to give effect to the aims and objectives of the PDP and to ensure that the provisions of Article 7 of the PDP constitution are observed and respected by members and national officers.
“A declaration that under and by virtue of the provisions of Article 31 (2)(4) and (5) of the PDP constitution and Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, the 1st to 7th defendants are obligated to call or cause to be called and held quarterly or at the request of one-third of members of NEC of the PDP, the meeting of the NEC of the PDP at which the 1st to 7th defendants shall be present quarterly financial reports or income and expenditure of the party to the members of the NEC.”