At the hearing of Suit, No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1016/2024 BETWEEN HON. AARON CHUKWUEMEKA DSSRS & 5ORS V. PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP) & 9ORS before his Lordship Honourable Justice P.O Lifu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja as a vacation judge yesterday being 15th day of August, 2024, drama ensued as to who is the legitimate counsel to represent the Peoples Democratic Party, Amb. Umar Iliya Damagum ( Acting National Chairman, PDP), Sen. Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu (National Secretary, PDP) and Hon. Umar M. Bature (National Organizing Secretary, PDP) sued as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants Respectively.
It was gathered that the Plaintiffs in this suit are Pro-Wike group of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State and current members of the Caretaker -Committees of the party at the state level and various local government areas and wards in Rivers State.
Immediately the case was called, K.C. NJEMANZE announced his appearance for the Plaintiffs, while A.K. AJIBADE, SAN, the National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) announced his appearance for the 1st to 4th Defendants, the party and its National Officers sued in their official capacity as the National Chairman, National Secretary and the National Organizing Secretary of the party respectively, in line with the powers conferred on him by Article 42 (1) of the Constitution of the peoples Democratic party as amended, 2017.
Shockingly, after A.K. AJIBADE, SAN, the National Legal Adviser of the party announced appearance for the party and its National Officers, FERDINAND OSHOKE ORBIH, SAN also announced appearance for the Peoples Democratic Party on the basis that he was instructed by one Kingsley Chuku, a member of the current Caretaker-Committee in Rivers State and a known ardent supporter of his Excellency, Nyesome Wike, the now FCT Minister.
Before the court could recover from the confusion created by double representation announced by two Learned Senior Counsel for the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), another senior counsel S.I. AMEH, SAN announced appearance for ILIYA DAMAGUN, SAMUEL ANYANWU as well as UMAR BATURE and claimed to have been instructed by the trios to represent them.
The court, embarrassed by the attitude of the Learned Senior Counsel which it remarked to be shameful for senior counsel to be jostling and shoving for brief in open court, advised all two external counsel to go back and have a meeting with the National Legal Advisers of the party so as to resolve the issue of representation before the next adjouned date. Therefore, the matter was adjourned to 30th day of August, 2024.