NEC meeting: Court adjourns Sowunmi’s suit against PDP till March 18

A federal high court in Abuja has fixed March 18 to hear different motions in a suit filed against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some of the party officials.

The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/70/2024 was filed by Segun Sowunmi, a former governorship aspirant in Ogun state, against the Umar Damagun-led PDP for failing to convene a national executive council (NEC) meeting within the constitutionally stipulated period.

At the court session on Monday, Anderson Asemota, counsel to the plaintiff, told the court that all parties in the suit had been duly served as ordered on the last adjourned date.

Asemota also informed the court that he had received the counter affidavit from the defendants challenging the motion filed by Sule Lamido, former Jigawa governor, seeking to be joined in the suit.

However, the lawyer added that he was not able to file his response before the court session on Monday.

Asemota, prayed the court for a short adjournment to enable him to peruse the counter affidavit and respond appropriately.

Lawyers to the defendants did not oppose the application for an adjournment.

Consequently, Mobolaji Olajuwon, the presiding judge, adjourned the matter till  March 18 to hear all applications filed in the suit as well as the substantive matter.

BACKGROUND

Sowunmi had approached the court seeking an order directing the party leadership to convey a meeting to present the activities of the party from the date of the last NEC gathering.

The plaintiff is also asking the court for an order, directing the 1st to 7th defendants to call a NEC meeting of the party to present the proposed guidelines and regulations governing the conduct of elections to the party’s offices at all levels.

He is further seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 2nd to 8th defendants from discharging the functions of their offices until they call for and hold a 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 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”.

He also sought a declaration that under and by 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 hold quarterly or at the request of one-third of members of NEC of the PDP, the meeting of the NEC”.

He said the meeting is where the 1st to 7th defendants shall present quarterly financial reports or income and expenditure of the party to the NEC members.

The defendants in the suit are Damagun, PDP acting national chairman; Samuel Anyanwu, national secretary; Umar Bature, national organising secretary; Okechukwu Daniel, national auditor; Ahmed Yayari, national treasurer; and Muhammed Kadade, national youth leader.