Mohammed Shosanya
Umar Damangun, the deputy national Chairman (North), has emerged the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He emergence followed the suspension of Senator Iyorcha Ayu by a High Court sitting in Benue state on Monday.
Justice Wilfred Kpochi,had issued an interim order restraining Dr. Iyorchia Ayu from “parading himself as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.”
The order of the court issued Monday followed an ex-parte application brought before the court by a PDP stalwart, Mr. Conrad Utaan against Dr. Ayu and the PDP
in a suit No MHC/85/2023.
The application was supported by a 15 paragraph affidavit and three exhibits including the applicant’s PDP membership card, receipt of payment of dues and a copy of the resolution of the PDP Executive of the Igyorov Council Ward of Gboko Local Government Area, LGA, suspending Dr. Ayu.
The plaintiff in the application argued that the National Chairman should cease to operate in that capacity “having lost membership of the party, pending the hearng and determination of Motion on Notice already filed.”
In his ruling, Justice Kpochi held that the court, after listening to the plaintiff’s counsel move the application “and upon a dispassionate consideration of the facts placed before me in the pool of the affidavit evidence, and again, upon the
consideration of the issues distilled in the written address by the plaintiff’s counsel, it is my candid view that this is a proper case to grant the interim injunction as craved. Consequently, this application Is hereby granted in terms of the reliefs captured in the motion papers as herein before reproduced. It is so ordered.”
Justice Ikpochi adjourned the matter to April 17, 2023 for hearing.