The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed Otunba Segun Sowunmi, a former aide to ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to serve the court processes he filed against the Peoples Democratic Party by pasting it at the party’s national secretariat.
Sowunmi dragged the PDP acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and other members of the National Working Committee to court for their failure to convene a National Executive Council meeting.
The last 97th and the last PDP NEC meeting was convened by the suspended National Chairman Senator Iyorchia Ayu on September 22, 2022.
Sowunmi, represented by a legal team of 13 lawyers led by Anderson Asemota, filed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/70/2024 seeking to remove Damagum from his position for purportedly neglecting his duties.
He is requesting the court to prohibit the defendants from continuing to perform their duties until the meeting is convened.
Listed as defendants in the matter are the PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu (National Secretary), Umar Nature (National Organising Secretary), Okechukwu Daniel (National Auditor), Ahmed Yayari (National Treasurer), Muhammed Kadade (National Youth Leader) and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Justice Bolaji Olajuwon gave the order on Thursday while delivering a ruling on an ex parte motion by Sowunmi praying to serve the court papers on the defendants by substituted service.
Sowunmi’s lawyer informed the court that his client encountered difficulties in serving court documents on six out of the eight defendants mentioned in the lawsuit.
Justice Olajuwon then ordered alternative means of service and instructed Sowunmi to serve the initial legal documents on the second to seventh defendants.
The case was then adjourned till March 4 for a report of service.
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