Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected the plea from Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the beleaguered National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from enforcing his removal from the party’s leadership.
Instead, the judge instructed Anyanwu to notify INEC and other defendants in his new lawsuit to appear in court, allowing them the opportunity to present their perspectives.
On Wednesday, Anyanwu filed an ex-parte application with the Federal High Court, seeking an order to restrain INEC and its agents from accepting or acting on any correspondence or written submissions from the PDP unless they bear his signature.
Represented by his counsel, K.C.O. Njemanze (SAN), Anyanwu also requested that Justice Ekwo prohibit Ambassador Umar Illiya Damagun from sending any documents or communications to INEC that are not signed by him.
After considering the plaintiff’s arguments, Justice Ekwo acknowledged the urgency of the matter but opted not to grant the ex-parte request. He emphasized the importance of hearing from the defendants before making any decisions.
Consequently, the judge ordered Anyanwu to formally notify INEC and Damagun about the new lawsuit, ensuring they have the chance to respond in court. Justice Ekwo instructed the plaintiff to serve the necessary court documents to both defendants and scheduled the case for hearing on February 24.
