The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Friday, set aside a lower court order barring the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus; the sacked Rivers Governor, Celestine Omehia; and a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara, from attending the party’s meetings.
A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, in three separate judgements, unanimously upheld the appeals filed by the three aggrieved party chieftains.
The appellate court held that it found merit in their appeals.
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja had issued an order barring Secondus, Omehia, and Opara from further attending any meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee or participating in deliberations or proceedings of the meetings in any manner.
The appellate court, however, held that the issue of whether members of a party should attend the party’s meetings or participate in any of its activities is a matter to be determined by the political party.
The court also held that issues relating to whether or not members of a political party should attend the party’s meetings, being internal affairs of the party, are not justiciable and beyond the court’s jurisdiction.
It ruled that the Federal High Court ought not to have entertained the cases because it lacked the jurisdiction to hear and determine suits dealing with issues within the realm of the internal affairs of the political party.
The Appellate Court declared the proceedings conducted in the three cases before the Federal High Court null and void.
The court also voided the restraining orders made ex-parte by Justice Ekwo on 5 April.