The Peoples Democratic Party national leadership has refuted any filing of an appeal against the ruling of the Rivers State High Court at the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division.
The Rivers State House of Assembly faction led by Martins Amaewhule has placed restrictions on the Chief Judge of Rivers State and the Clerk of the House of Assembly, preventing them from accepting or considering any resolutions from the group until a case before them has been decided.
In reference to Suit No. PHC/2177/CS/2024, the PDP is purportedly identified as the appellant in a supposed appeal filed at the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, which has caught the attention of the national leadership of the party.
The PDP National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), emphasized in a statement released by National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba that the party neither filed the aforementioned appeal nor gave permission to any outside attorney to file it on its behalf.
Ologunagba maintained, “only the National Legal Adviser of the party has the exclusive responsibility of conducting litigation, prosecution, and defense of cases on behalf of the party, including its organs, chapters, and officials, as expressly provided for in Section 42 of the PDP’s Constitution as amended in 2017.”
The statement further cited a notice to the public issued by the party on January 17, 2023, informing them that “no authority, office, or organ other than the National Legal Adviser has the competence to file or engage external solicitors to handle cases on behalf of the party.”
As per the statement, “These types of agreements must be documented in writing and signed by the National Legal Advisor, outlining the details of the case as well as additional terms and conditions of the involvement.”
Thus, the PDP distanced itself from the alleged appeal that was submitted to the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal.
