Axed Rivers PDP Exco: Reps Caucus Kicks

Federal lawmakers from River State have kicked against the judgment of an Abuja High Court, which on Monday sacked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Rivers State executive under the leadership of Chief Godspower Ake. Relying on the affidavit of Chairman of Edo State PDP, Dan Orbih who in the affidavit said the results being paraded by Ake did not emanate from the congress that he conducted in Rivers State, Justice Ishaq Bello in his judgment ruled that Felix Obuah was the duly elected chairman at the congress held in February 2011.

Addressing newsmen yesterday in Abuja, Asita chairman Rivers State caucus in the House of Representatives, who led his colleagues to the media briefing, described the judgment as a judicial robbery. The federal lawmakers expressed concern that the presiding judge could hear and determine such contentious issues of facts by originating summons without calling oral evidence to test the veracity of witnesses.

Asita further alleged miscarriage of justice, as he submitted that Felix Obuah who was declared the winner of the congress by Justice Bello did not participate in the election. “You don’t establish allegation of fraud by affidavit of evidence, you call for oral evidence. “So, we don’t think the court has established the truth. It is shocking to hear that those who participated in the election are actually not those who won the election.
This is interesting times.” In his remarks, Andrew Uchendu also alleged that those who got judgment in their favour were nowhere near the venue of the PDP state congress on the date in question. “We had a congress successfully handled by Dan Orbih and INEC monitored the exercise.

“Eight months after, from nowhere, some people surfaced at the court and judgment had been given in their favour based on affidavit evidence.” Meanwhile, the national leadership of the party yesterday inaugurated the new officers of the party in the state in compliance with the court judgment. National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Mr. Victor Kwom conducted the swearing-in of Obuah and Walter Ibibia Opuene, chairman and secretary respectively along with other members of the new Rivers State PDP executive.