PDP accuses judges of bias over ex parte orders

Forum 1 year ago

PDP accuses judges of bias over ex parte orders

The Peoples Democratic Party has petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja to stop Justice Inyang Ekwo from handling all its cases over allegation of bias and grant of ‘injurious ex parte orders’ against it.

The petition, dated March 14 and jointly signed by the PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, and National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, demanded that all ongoing PDP-related cases before Justice Ekwo be transferred to other judges.

The party said it had no confidence in the judge’s neutrality, alleging that the judge had a penchant for “issuing injurious ex parte orders against the party.”

“In the build-up to the 2022 primary elections, he issued a series of harmful ex parte orders against the PDP, which eventually caused the party huge electoral misfortune at the 2023 general elections,” the petition said.

The petition pointed out that such measures include issuing an ex parte order that restrained its ad hoc delegates who emerged from the ward congresses conducted by the party’s national leadership from participating in the party’s primary elections in Edo State.

This unique order, it stated, resulted in party division and disaffection, which ultimately affected the fate of the party in Edo State.

The party also cited the “issuance of an unjustified ex parte order or judgment on internal party affairs in Cross River, Rivers, and other states over which the Court has no jurisdiction.”

Specifically, the PDP demanded that the judge should withdraw from its cases, such as: FHC/ABJ/CS/123/2023; between Siminialayi Fubara and others vs PDP & 5 ORS; Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/112/2023, between Amb. Desmond vs PDP & 2 ORS; Suit No: FHC/ASJ/CS/215/2023- between Send Sandy and anor vs PDP & 5 ORS; and all other cases involving the Peoples Democratic Party.

“We are constrained to bring this application to Your Lordship to transfer the above-listed cases and all other cases involving our party from Hon. Justice I. E. Ekwo due to circumstances showing or demonstrating manifest bias/grave likelihood of bias on the part of Hon. Justice I. E. Ekwo against the party,” the petition said.