Appeal Court Quashes Order Barring Secondus, Omehia, Opara From Attending PDP Meetings

By Akinwale Kasali

Relief has come  for the trio of Prince Uche Secondus, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Celestine Omehia, former Rivers State Governor, and Austin Opara, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, following an Appeal Court Ruling that set aside a Lower Court order of barring the trio from attending PDP Meetings.

A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, in three separate judgements, unanimously upheld the appeals filed by the three aggrieved party chieftains, and quashed the ruling of Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja that gave the order barring the trio of Secondus, Omehia, and Opara from further attending any meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee, or participating in deliberations or proceedings of the meetings in any manner.

It also ruled that the Federal High Court ought not to have entertained the cases because it lacked the jurisdiction to hear and determine suits dealing with issues within the realm of the internal affairs of the political party.

The Appellate Court declared the proceedings conducted in the three cases before the Federal High Court null and void.

The Appellate Court held that the issue of whether members of a party should attend the party’s meetings or participate in any of its activities is a matter to be determined by the political party.

The Court, also, held that issues relating to whether or not members of a political party should attend the party’s meetings, being internal affairs of the party, are not justiciable and beyond the Court’s  jurisdiction.