A federal high court in Abuja has barred the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from suspending or expelling Siminlalayi Fubara, Rivers state governor-elect, and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, over alleged anti-party activities.

Fubara, Odu and 48 members of the PDP had asked the court to stop the party and its executives from taking punitive actions against them.

They prayed the court to declare that the threat to suspend or expel them on account of the disagreement between the party’s national executives and Nyesom Wike, Rivers governor, amounts to a denial of their rights.

Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, held that the fears of the applicants were well founded and that taking action against them would amount to a breach of their rights to freedom of association.

The judge added that it is within the powers of the court to grant redress to persons who have well-established acts that would amount to the infringement of their rights.

The judge said members of political parties cannot be suspended arbitrarily without compliance with the political party’s guidelines. 

THE CABLE