Judex Okoro, Calabar
Cross River chapter of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) faction loyal to Governor Ben Ayade has withdrawn a suit challenging the inauguration of ward and local government executive committee.
Since 2015, Governor Ayade and some stakeholders, including founding members, former elected officers and National Assembly members, have been embroiled in battle for the soul of the party, climaxing to the factions and subsequent inauguration of parallel executives at ward and local government levels.
However, following a directive by PDP National Working Committee, the ward executive committee members in the state were inaugurated in 196 wards on April 30, and were sworn-in by a Notary Public, Okimasi Ojong, principal partner of Okimasi Ojong and Co., in accordance with the provisions of Section 65 of the PDP constitution as amended in 2017.
Some aggrieved members, who claimed to have emerged in the ward congress conducted by Ntufam Edim Inok-led executive committee had sued the PDP, the National Chairman, Uche Secondus, National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobundu and PDP state Chairman, Inok.
In a suit No.HC/115/2020 and dated April 30, they prayed the court to restrain the national leadership of the party from acting on any list except one submitted by the Cross River PDP in relation to the recently conducted ward and local government congresses in the state.
The claimants/applicants include Otu Edet Marshal, Terence Orok, Raphael Stephen Ntui and Henry Ekpwnyong Edem.
But, in what appeared as a volta face, the claimants and aggrieved members tactically withdrew the case and did not put up appearance during substantive hearing of the case on June 30.
Consequently, the presiding High Court Judge, Justice Elias Abua, sitting in Calabar, struck out the suit but did not award any cost against the claimants.