New York [RR] ENUGU–Following an Enugu High Court that granted an interim order of restraining the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP], Dr. Okwwesilieze Nwodo, from parading himself as Chairman and member of the party [PDP].However, Reports reaching RepublicReport this morning say, Dr. Nwodo counsel on Wednesday in Abuja High Court, filed a preliminary objection against the suit calling for his removal. RR learnt his counsel argued that “the appointment of his client was totally an internal affair of the  party”. Adding, Chief E.C. Ukala, counsel for Nwodo, said, “the court lacked the inherent jurisdiction to entertain the matter as the plaintiff had abused the court process in the matter”. “My client is still in charge” he was quoted by reporters.

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AN Enugu High Court has granted an interim order restraining the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, from parading himself as chairman and member of the party (PDP).

Ruling on the motion on Wednesday shortly after hearing the submissions of Chief (Mrs) Justine Offia (SAN), counsel for the plaintiff and Professor Ilochi Okafor, counsel for the defendant, Justice Reuben Onuorah, restrained the defendant from “exercising the rights, powers and/or functions of enjoying the privileges attached to the office of the chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, pending the determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.”

Justice Onuorah adjourned the suit until January 31, 2011 for further hearing.

Mr Collins Amalu, a chieftain of the PDP, had made an oral application through his counsel, Chief Offia, on December 20, 2010, praying the court for an order of interim injunction restraining the defendant from “holding himself out as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party and or an officer of the party to wit national chairman.

Amalu also prayed the court to restrain Dr Nwodo from exercising the rights, powers and or functions of a member and officer of the party and/or enjoying any privileges attached to the office of the chairman of the PDP, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

Reacting to the judgment, the plaintiff, Amalu, expressed happiness that the court had removed Nwodo, adding that he (Nwodo) admitted that he was not a member of the PDP.

“Before he became PDP chairman, there was happiness in the PDP but his coming has somersaulted everything, but his removal will bring peace to Enugu State,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Enugu State governor, Mr Sullivan Chime, has been elected as the standard-bearer of the PDP in this year’s gubernatorial election.

Governor Chime scored 811 votes while Chiefs Anayo Onwuegbu and Okey Ezewa had two votes each. Valentine Nnadozie had one vote.

Nigerian Tribune observed that a pro-Nwodo group boycotted the gubernatorial primary held at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, amidst tight security.

Nwodo challenges removal
Meanwhile, Dr Nwodo, on Wednesday in an Abuja Federal High Court, filed a preliminary objection against the suit calling for his removal.

Chief E.C Ukala, counsel for Nwodo, who filed the objection, argued that the appointment of his client was totally an internal affair of the party.

Ukala further argued that the court lacked the inherent jurisdiction to entertain the matter as the plaintiff had abused the court process in the matter.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Mr Ikenga Ugochinyere filed a suit in June, 2010 challenging the selection of the second defendant (Nwodo) by the first defendant (PDP) as the national chairman of the party.

Mr Innocent Onwu, counsel for the plaintiff, argued that the appointment of Nwodo as the national chairman of the party violated Section 85 of the Electoral Act of 2006 and the party’s constitution.

He argued that the action of the party regarding the appointment of Nwodo as its national chairman also contravened Sections 221, 222, 223, 224 as well as 225 of the 1999 Constitution.

NAN reported that Justice Daniel Kolawole adjourned the matter till January 28.

17,000 policemen For primary
In a related development, the Nigeria Police have deployed over 17,000 policemen for the PDP presidential primary holding today at the Eagle Square and subsequent presidential primaries for other political parties.

The Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, who announced this on Wednesday, while briefing newsmen in Abuja, said that other tight security measures have been put in place to ensure hitch-free presidential primaries.

He announced that security personnel and aides to dignitaries would not be allowed into the Eagle Square with firearms or any other weapon, such as, hand grenades or tear gas canisters.

According to him, the police force had put adequate security measure in place to ensure that every person involved in the convention would not experience any security breach as over 17,000 officers and men had been deployed to provide security before, during and after the convention.

The IGP disclosed that the tight security arrangement was put in place with a view to preventing saboteur and other undesirable elements who might want to take advantage of huge crowd in Abuja, particularly the Eagle Square, to perpetrate their criminal acts.

Ringim further warned that the police would not allow hawking of any kind, loitering or unauthorised movement of any person within the precincts of the venue of the convention, adding that residents of Abuja and its environs should remain calm and report any suspicious person, movement or objects to any security agencies closest to them.

He noted that police had commenced a series of activities to ensure the safety of delegates in primaries of all the political parties.

Subsequently, all roads leading to the Eagle Square had been cordoned off, adding that anybody who had no business should stay left to avoid trouble.

He explained that the condoning off of all roads leading to the Eagle Square was to forestall any security breach, as witnessed in the October 1, 2010 bomb blast during the 50th Independence celebration.

Also, he said vehicles and individuals would be frisked or searched, while the police would screen delegates for the convention before carrying them to the Eagle Square, venue of the convention, where they will sit state by state.

Furthermore, the IGP disclosed that all vehicles and motorcycles around the Eagle Square would be evacuated and advised all Nigerians to be alert and be their brothers’ keeper.

He added that for the avoidance of doubt, the police which are in charge of internal security, would lead the security operation for the convention, but however, stressed that this did not confer on them superiority to other security agencies.

The IGP said that the police force and other security agencies had enough manpower to deploy for the 2011 general election.

He announced that very soon the police would call a national conference to thrash out all issues of hooliganism, but they were waiting for the convention of all the parties to be completed.

Security operatives take over N’Assembly
In another development, activities at the National Assembly were at their lowest ebb on Wednesday as most of the lawmakers, staff and visitors found it difficult to gain entrance into the Assembly premises owing to the new security checks put in place.

Some lawmakers, staff and visitors to the National Assembly were taken aback as security operatives from the State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Service Corps (FRSC) and Anti-bomb squad stopped all vehicles coming in for a thorough search, with both metal detectors and bomb detectors playing a part in the search that covered entire vehicles including the boots.

The motorists that were caught up in the stop-and-search exercise had to wait for hours before they were able to enter the National Assembly complex. Those who could not endure the waiting had to turn back
A fee-charging parking lot close to Eagle Square was closed down with no car allowed to park inside; the car park was used by civil servants and visitors alike.

With this development, it was chaotic for civil servants and visitors to get a place to park their cars. Some of the civil servants who spoke to the Nigerian Tribune, said that they might have come to work today as they argued that they did not know if there would be access for them to come near the federal secretariat and they did not want to risk their lives.

At the National Assembly, the story was the same as some of the staff also vowed that with what they experienced, they were not likely to be at work today.

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REPUBLICREPORT…standing between civilization and anarchy….