PDP Sues Tambuwal, Ihedioha, Others

In what looks like a preemptive move, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain the House of Representatives from altering the composition of its leadership.

The PDP, in a suit filed on January 7 wants the court to among others, restrain House of Representatives’ Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, other principal officers of the House and its defecting members in the House from taking any step “to alter or change the leadership of the 1st defendant (PDP).”

The suit has the House of Reps, its Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, other principal officers of the House and its former members who defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC) as defendants.

An officer of the PDP, Nanchang Ndam, stated in a supporting affidavit that while the defection of some of the defendants was still a subject of litigation before Justice Mohammed, the defendants, particularly the Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila have issued threats to change the leadership of the House.

He stated that unless the defendants were restrained, they could carry out the threat and thereby prejudice the earlier suit, cause a breakdown of law and order and parallel the activities of the House.

The plaintiff, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2/2014 raised two questions for the court’s determination and sought for four reliefs.

The PDP wants the court to determine whether, in view of the mandatory provision of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution, and in view of the pendency of an earlier suit by the defecting law makers, they (the defecting legislators) can participate in any proceedings to remove the House’ principal officers.

The party equally wants the court to determine whether, in view of the provision of Section 68(1) (g) of the Constitution and the pending suit by the defecting legislators, they (the defecting law makers) can lawfully alter the composition or constitution of the House’s leadership.

It is praying the court to declare that in view of Section 68(1) (g) of the Constitution and the pending case marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/621/2013 the defecting lawmakers “cannot lawfully vote and contribute to any motion for the removal or change of any of the principal officers” of the House.

PDP also wants the court to declare that the defecting lawmakers, who are plaintiffs in the earlier suit before Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the same court, “are not competent to sponsor, contribute or vote on any motion calling for the removal or change in the leadership of the House or the removal of any principal officers of the House.”

It prayed the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from “altering or changing the House’s leadership.

The PDP equally filed an application for interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants from altering the leadership of the House pending the determination of the substantive suit.