A High Court in Makurdi, the Benue State capital on Monday, March 27, 2023, barred Dr Iyorchia Ayu from parading himself as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The presiding judge, Justice W.I. Kpochi, issued an interim injunction restraining Ayu in the suit No. MHC/85/2023 filed at the court by Terhide Utaan with Ayu and the PDP as defendants.
Justice Kpochi ruled: “An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st defendant Senator Dr. lyorchia Ayu from parading himself as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) having lost membership of the party, pending the hearing and determination of Motion on Notice already filed.
“The application is supported by a fifteen (15) paragraph affidavit to which is annexed three exhibits as Exhibits A1, A2, and B which are the Applicant’s membership card of the 2nd defendant, receipts for payment of dues and a vote of no confidence passed on the 1st Defendant/Respondent by the Igyorov Council Ward of the 2nd Defendant in Gboko Local Government, Benue State.
“Upon hearing Mr M. T Assoh of Learned Counsel ably 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 M.T Assoh of Learned 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.”
The case has been adjourned until April 17 for further hearing.
The order followed the suspension of Ayu from the PDP by the Executive Committee of the party in his Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.
The embattled former Senate President had earlier, in a statement signed by his media aide, Simon Imobo-Tswam, asked party faithfuls and Nigerians to disregard reports about his suspension from the party by his ward executives.
He claimed that the “purported suspension is, therefore, an exercise in futility as it derives its strength majorly from gross illiteracy, ignorance, gambling and desperation. It has only mischief, drama and propaganda value,” the statement reads.
“But more than this, the so-called suspension letter was written by an illiterate beforehand, and only given to the coerced members to sign somewhere in Makurdi.
“From what we know, the document itself is fraudulent as the signatures of the Ward Executives were forged or obtained under duress. The chairman, his deputy and legal adviser didn’t sign. The 14th person on the list didn’t sign too. She was at NKST Ambighir for the Holy Communion.”
