A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagun, from taking any actions that could harm the interests of the party’s embattled National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
Justice Inyang Ekwo granted the order on Monday during a resumed hearing in a case filed by Anyanwu, who claims there are efforts to sideline him in the party’s operations, despite his ongoing legal challenge to a judgment from the Court of Appeal in Enugu concerning the position of PDP National Secretary.
Earlier in the case, on February 19, the court refused to grant Anyanwu’s ex-parte request to prevent INEC from acting on any documents from the PDP without his signature. Justice Ekwo ruled that both INEC and Damagun should be notified and given the opportunity to explain why the order should not be granted.
At Monday’s hearing, INEC’s lawyer, Ahmed Mohammed, informed the court that INEC had filed a counter-affidavit to challenge the suit’s validity but had failed to file a response to the court’s order to show cause. Justice Ekwo criticized INEC for bypassing the issue at hand and delving into the case’s substance.
The judge emphasized that INEC and Damagun must refrain from any actions that would interfere with the case and directed that the matter be heard on an expedited basis. Additionally, two lawyers representing other PDP members applied to be included as parties in the case, though Anyanwu’s legal team has yet to respond to these requests.
