A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order for former aide to ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, to paste the court processes he filed against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Amb Illiya Damagum at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
The ruling by Justice Bolaji Olajuwon came in response to an ex-parte motion for substituted service by Sowunmi, who informed the court of difficulties in serving court processes to six out of the eight defendants in the suit.
Sowunmi’s lawyer, Anderson Asemota, presented the motion, leading to Justice Olajuwon ordering substituted service. The court directed Sowunmi to serve the originating processes on the second to seventh defendants. The suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/70/2024) seeks to restrain PDP’s National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and other national leaders from acting in their official capacities due to an alleged failure to convene the mandatory National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for over a year.
Sowunmi contends that the absence of NEC meetings violates the party’s constitution and hinders its progress. The lawsuit names Umar Damagum, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Nature, Okechukwu Daniel, Ahmed Yayari, Muhammed Kadade, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.
The plaintiff argues that the NEC meeting is crucial for reviewing the party’s activities, making decisions, and planning for future elections. Sowunmi emphasizes the need for adherence to the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act. The case has been adjourned until March 4 for a report of service.
