Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Saakpenwa in Tai Local Government Area has issued an order of interim injunction restraining the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidates or members from accessing and using a property located at Uedene Community in the same LGA as campaign and party secretariat.
The SDP has Sen. Magnus Abe as its governorship candidate in Rivers State. He has severally accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the state government of using attacks and executive orders to intimidate and stifle opposition political parties ahead of the general elections.
As if to confirm such claims, the authorities of Tai Local Government Council, relying on the provisions of Executive Orders 21 and 22 recently signed by Governor Nyesom Wike, recently filed a suit, seeking the Court to restrain SDP from using the private property belonging to one Mrs. Gift Nkai as its campaign and party secretariat in the area.
When the matter was mentioned in court Tuesday, the trial Judge, after dismissing the preliminary objection filed by Defence Counsel, granted the restraining order before adjourning the matter to March 27, 2023, to hear the substantive suit.
Speaking to newsmen outside the courtroom, one of the Counsels for the applicants, Donu Akwe, said with the restraining order, parties are expected to stay off the property, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
But faulting the restraining order, a supporter of Sen. Magnus Abe, Emma Osaro, told TPCN on Thursday in Port Harcourt that it will hamper the party’s activities in terms of early preparations for the forthcoming election.
“This has shown how anti-democratic the governor’s executive orders 21 and 22 are,” Osaro lamented.
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