The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has joined in the ongoing suit instituted by the Initiative for Freedom, Conflict Prevention and Social Integration (FREECON) after the trial court granted a motion for joinder brought by the PDP.
FREECON is in court to challenge the legality of the just concluded Local Government election in Rivers State which was conducted across the 23 LGAs of the state on August 30, 2025.
While FREECON is the plaintiff in the suit, the defendants are; the Nigerian President, the AGF, the Rivers State Sole Administrator, the Rivers State RSIEC chairman, the RSIEC and now the PDP.
Our correspondent who covered the court proceedings said the defendants have served their preliminary objection on the plaintiff with respect to the substantive suit which the plaintiff has filed before the court.
In response to the defendants’ preliminary objection, the plaintiff has filed its reply on point of law.
In the course of the proceedings, a motion for joinder was served on the plaintiff where a joinder party indicated by motion that it would want to join in the suit and, that is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The plaintiff also informed the court that it is not in opposition to the said motion for joinder.
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The court in its wisdom went ahead to grant the application of the joinder party. That is to say the joinder party which is the PDP was formally joined in the suit.
The plaintiff is therefore required to amend its processes to accommodate the joined party in the suit.
The matter was adjourned to 13th October, 2025.
Regarding what transpired in court on August 25, which was the first sitting of the trial court on the matter mentioned above, the correct report was that the defendants informed the court that they did not receive service, and the plaintiff, through its counsel, informed the court that there were proofs of service before the court.
However, It was noted that the defendants were not properly served. Since service is a fundamental aspect in a proceeding, there was no way the plaintiff would have gone ahead with the matter since there were issues of service raised.
The court in its wisdom, directed the plaintiff to serve its processes on the defendants right there in court and the plaintiff also went ahead to effect service on the defendants which the defendants had acknowledged accordingly.
