Court Halts PDP Congress in Six Benue Local Governments

The State High Court in Gboko, Benue State, has issued a restraining order preventing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from conducting its upcoming congress, scheduled for Saturday, August 10, 2024, in six local government areas.

The order was granted by Justice J. M. Ayua following an ex parte motion brought before the court by applicants including Senator Orker Jev, Terseer Tsumba, Aondoyina Grace, Tergun Tsegba, and 13 others.

Represented by their counsels, F.T. Anongo and G.M. Tyoh, the applicants requested the restraining order, arguing that the local government congresses should be halted until the reasons for the failure of the ward congress on July 27, 2024, are clarified.

The affected local government areas include Buruku, Gboko, Guma, Kwande, Ushongo, and Konshisha.

The defendants in the case are the Peoples Democratic Party, its acting National Chairman, the National Organising Secretary, and the state party chairman, John Ngbede.

The restraining order states, “It is hereby ordered that the respondents, their agents, servants, or privies are restrained in the interim from conducting local government congress elections scheduled for 10/8/24 in only six local governments in Benue State.”

The motion on notice has been set for a hearing on August 18, 2024.