The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has affirmed the right of the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to appoint its own legal counsel without interference from the party’s National Legal Adviser.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Rivers State chapter of the party is reportedly held sway by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Justice Mohammed Obile recently ruled on a case involving the defection of Martin Amaewhule and 27 lawmakers to the APC. The decision followed a challenge by National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade SAN, questioning whether the state chapter’s legal adviser had the authority to appoint a lawyer to represent the party in this matter.
Ajibade had argued that, as the national legal adviser, he was responsible for defending the party and its candidates in court and that the state chapter had no authority to appoint legal representation without his permission.
Justice Obile ruled that Kamaldeen Ajibade SAN did not have the authority to challenge the appointment of Joshua Musa SAN as the lawyer selected by the Rivers State PDP chapter to represent them in the case.
The judge further restrained Ajibade from denying the state chapter the right to appoint legal representation, striking out all objections filed by him and awarding a cost of N100,000 against him.
