4 leaders of the Imo Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Get together, PDP, have prayed the Federal Excessive Court docket in Abuja to order Rep Ikenga Ugochinyere to vacate his seat, having been expelled from the get together.
The chieftains, in a contemporary go well with filed by their lawyer, Johnson Usman, SAN, additionally sought an order directing the embattled lawmaker to refund all of the salaries, allowances and all emolument collected from the date of his expulsion to the Federal Authorities forthwith.
Mr Ugochinyere is the the member representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency within the Home of Representatives.
The originating summons, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/358/2025, is dated Feb. 26 and filed Feb. 27 by Usman.
The plaintiffs are Austine Nwachukwu, Imo PDP Chairman; Thankgod Okeke, PDP LGA Chairman, Ideato North LGA; Agatha Onyejisi, PDP Ward Chairman of Umuopia/Umukegwu Ward in Ideato North LGA, and Carl Nwokoma, Imo PDP Vice Chairman/Orlu Zonal Chairman.
They sued Ugochinyere, Home of Representatives Speaker, PDP and the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee, INEC, as 1st to 4th defendants respectively.
The chieftains sought eight questions for dedication.
They need the court docket to find out whether or not by advantage of the provisions of Sections 65 (2)(b), 68(1)(b) of the 1999 Structure (as amended), any member of the Nationwide Meeting, NASS, who has misplaced the membership of the political get together that sponsored his election earlier than the expiration of his time period robotically loses his seat within the meeting, until saved by the exception below that part.
“Whether or not by advantage of the provisions of Sections 65 (2b), 68(1)(b) of the 1999 Structure, the first defendant (Ugochinyere) who was expelled from the third defendant (PDP), earlier than the expiration of the time period for which he was elected, has robotically misplaced his seats within the Nationwide Meeting.
“Whether or not by advantage of Part 68(2) of the Structure, the 2nd defendant (Speaker) is below authorized responsibility and obligation to declare as vacant, the seat of the Ist defendant within the Home of Representatives within the Nationwide Meeting in any other case known as the tenth Meeting,” amongst others.
They, subsequently, urged the court docket to declare that Ugochinyere is now not a member of NASS from the date he was expelled from the political get together below which he was elected to NASS as a member of Home of Representatives representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency in Imo within the 2023 basic elections.
They sought an order directing the Home speaker to offer impact to Part 68(1) of the 1999 Structure pursuant to Part 68(2) of the identical structure to forthwith declare Ugochinyere’s seat vacant on the ground of the home.
Additionally they sought an order directing INEC to organise and conduct a bye-election into the seat of the member representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo inside 90 days, amongst different reliefs.
Within the affidavit he deposed to, Nwachukwu mentioned he’s a card carrying member and present state’s chairman of the PDP.
He mentioned as 1st plaintiff, he had the consent and authority of the 2nd, third and 4th plaintiffs to depose to the affidavit.
He mentioned Ugochinyere, who was elected as member representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency within the 2023 basic elections on PDP’s platform, was a registered member of the get together in Umuopia/Umukegwu Ward.
Mr Nwachukwu alleged that because of his anti-party actions, Ugochinyere was invited by Umuopia/Umukegwu Ward Committee of the PDP by a letter dated Sept. 30, 2024, to look earlier than the Disciplinary Committee, however he did not honour the invitation.
He mentioned by one other letter of reminder dated Oct. 7, 2024, the lawmaker was additional invited to look earlier than the Disciplinary Committee, but additionally did not honour the invitation.
The state chairman averred that Ugochinyere was suspended on Oct. 14, 2024, by his ward because of his anti-party actions.
He mentioned his suspension by his Ward Government Committee was communicated to the LGA Chairman, PDP Ideato North LGA of Imo on Oct. 14, 2024.
He mentioned the Disciplinary Committee additionally invited him on Oct. 26, 2024, by way of a letter dated Oct. 19, 2024, however did not honour the invitation.
Mr Nwachukwu mentioned although he was invited a number of instances, he refused to honour the invitation of the committee.
“I do know that the Disciplinary Committee discovered the first defendant liable of the allegations levelled towards him that led to his suspension by his ward committee and consequently really useful his expulsion from the PDP.”
In accordance with him, the PDP Native Authorities Executives of Ideato North LGA, expelled the first defendant from PDP on the fifth day of December, 2024 and communicated similar to the state chairman of the PDP on the fifth day of December, 2024.
He mentioned he communicated the fast expulsion of Ugochinyere to the appearing Nationwide Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagun, on Dec. 9, 2024.
He mentioned that each one the 27 PDP chairmen in Imo recognized with the choice of the members and management of PDP in Umuopia Ward and the Ideato North as relating to the expulsion.
“I do know that by the expulsion, the first defendant is now not a member of the PDP in his ward.
“I do know that the expulsion of the first defendant from his political get together isn’t a topic of litigation earlier than any court docket,” Mr Nwachukwu averred.
He mentioned it’s within the curiosity of justice, good governance and democratic tenets for the court docket to reply the questions raised and to grant the reliefs sought.
The case, which was filed on Thursday, is but to be assigned to a choose.
NAN
