At the Federal High Court in Abuja, a peculiar situation unfolded as three Senior Advocates vied to represent the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, in a lawsuit challenging the conduct of Rivers State chapter congresses of the PDP.
The court, under Justice Peter Lifu, had previously issued an order barring the PDP, INEC, and security agencies from interfering with the party’s scheduled congresses. The next hearing was set for August 15, in a case brought by six allies of FCT Minister Chief Nyesom Wike.
In a surprising turn of events, when the case was called on Thursday, K. C. O. Njemanze, SAN, appeared for the plaintiffs, and simultaneously, two other SANs, Chief Ferdinand Orbih and Kamaldeen Ajibade, stood up to represent the defendants, including the PDP, Damagum, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and Hon. Umar Bature.
After some back and forth, the court directed Orbih to proceed first, followed by Ajibade. However, the confusion persisted as another senior advocate, Sunday Ibrahim Ameh, also asserted representation for the same defendants.
To prevent further chaos, Justice Lifu urged the senior lawyers to resolve the matter themselves, leading Orbih to request a brief adjournment for clarification.
Unopposed, the court scheduled the next hearing for August 30, emphasizing the importance of resolving the representation issue among the parties involved.
Should the discussions fail, the senior lawyers were instructed to file a motion and affidavit confirming their engagement by the concerned parties. The judge also extended his earlier order barring the PDP and security agencies from obstructing the Rivers State congresses until the case is fully resolved.
However, due to the delay in the proceedings, the court could not address the application from individuals seeking to join as defendants in the case, represented by Chief D. O. Okoro, SAN.
These applicants include David Omereji, Prince Solomon Eke, Isoboye Tobin, and others, who had previously been restrained from participating in the congresses pending legal deliberations.
Justice Lifu’s ruling emphasized compliance with party guidelines for the congresses, with strict adherence to the established timetable. The six PDP members who filed the initial application were instructed to provide an indemnity against misleading the court with false claims.
The legal wrangling revolves around the PDP, Damagum, Anyanwu, and Bature, as the court seeks resolution amidst competing representation claims in this contentious case.