The interim injunction preventing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from replacing Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as national secretary was extended yesterday by a Federal High Court in Abuja, pending the hearing and judgement of the substantive matter.
The lawsuit was continued till December 19 for hearing by Justice Inyang Ekwo, who urged parties to maintain the status quo in the litigation.
The development came when counsel to the plaintiff, Moses Onyilokwu, informed the court that though the matter was slated for hearing, lawyer to the 1st to 4th defendants, Mohammed Atolagbe, had just served them a counter affidavit in response to the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction filed by them.
Onyilokwu said he would need a short time to respond to the application.
The court had, on November 23, stopped the PDP from removing Anyanwu as national secretary following an ex-parte motion by Joshua Musa, and fixed today for hearing of the motion on notice.
Two members of the party, Geoffrey Ihentuge and Apollo’s Godspower, had sued the PDP, Umar Aliyu Damagun, acting National Chairman, and the National Executive Committee (NEC) as 1st to 3rd defendants.
Others are the National Working Committee (NWC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 4th to 5th defendants, respectively.
Justice Ekwo granted the prayers after the motion was moved.
Anyanwu was the PDP candidate in the November 11 Imo governorship election, where Sen. Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was re-elected.